“What is Toxoplasmosis and How Can It Affect My Baby?”

Is Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy Dangerous?

During my first pregnancy we had a large, furry cat in the house. I had often heard having a cat during pregnancy was dangerous. My fears surmounted me when one day I was vacuuming up some droppings and my vacuum literally exploded. I was certain I had inhaled enough toxic substances to permanently harm my unborn baby.

Fortunately many of my fears were instantly relieved with a quick phone call to my doctor. Most women will not develop new toxoplasmosis infections during pregnancy. Of course, there is always a small risk, so it is important you take steps to educate and protect yourself from this potentially dangerous infection.

What is Toxoplasmosis and How Can It Affect My Baby?
Toxoplasmosis is actually a common infection carried by birds and other small mammals. Typically this infection is not dangerous. Humans contract it all the time but it usually goes away within a few weeks.

When a pregnant women catches toxoplasmosis however for the first time during pregnancy, she may pass the infection on to her unborn fetus. There are many risks associated with toxoplasmosis infection in a fetus, including blindness and brain damage.

Fortunately this infection is very rare, with only one in roughly every 10 babies infected with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. Usually however, most women who may be exposed to toxoplasmosis during pregnancy are already immune before getting pregnant.

Causes of Toxoplasmosis
There are many causes of toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. You may for example acquire the infection by eating infected meat or meat that is improperly cooked. That is why it is important to stay away from raw or partially cooked foods during pregnancy.

The most common way of transmitting toxoplasmosis is by touching cat feces. If you have a cat, your cat may transmit the virus to you if you routinely come into contact with your animal’s feces while changing the litter box. If you have an outdoor cat you can also become infected through feces in the sand or soil.

Still another way to come into contact with the infection is by eating unwashed vegetables or fruits that may grow in a garden where a cat may have walked across or excreted in.

Most of the time women infected with toxoplasmosis do not display any symptoms. Some women may develop minor flu like symptoms they associated with a mild cold or other illness. Because toxoplasmosis is so hard to detect by identifying symptoms, the best measure of protection and detection is simple prevention.

How To Protect Yourself From Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy
Here are some steps for protecting yourself from toxoplasmosis during pregnancy:

•  Have someone else change the cats litter box. If this isn’t possible, use gloves and be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after changing.
•  Eat well cooked meats. Avoid dried meats which also contain a higher than average risk of carrying toxoplasmosis (like beef jerky).
•  Always wash all fruits and vegetables before you eat them.
•  Use gloves when gardening and always wash your hands after gardening.

Can My Doctor Diagnose and Treat Toxoplasmosis?
Your doctor can conduct a routine blood test to diagnose toxoplasmosis. If you have any concerns about this infection during pregnancy, be sure to talk to your doctor. If you do develop a new infection during pregnancy your doctor will test your fetus with a procedure called amniocentesis. Your doctor may then prescribe antibiotics to help combat the infection.

Typically the risks associated with toxoplasmosis are highest when a new infection develops in early pregnancy. During this time an active infection may lead to various complications including brain and eye damage. When diagnosed in newborns, doctors often prescribe antibiotics for the first year of life to help protect your baby.

While toxoplasmosis does sound scary, it is important you realize that very rarely do pregnant women contract new infections. If you have had a cat for some time chances are you have already been exposed to, and subsequently developed natural protection against, toxoplasmosis.