Do you know the tips to avoid toxoplasmosis during pregnancy?

If you are pregnant or have been, you will know that in quarterly blood tests, the midwife requests a toxoplasma antibody test, in order to find out if you have previously had the infection caused by the toxoplasma gondii parasite. Why is this routine practice done?

If you have been exposed at some point in your life there is no risk, but if not, you should follow some tips to avoid contagion during pregnancy. This is to avoid the consequences that a vertical transmission (from mother to fetus) could have. Congenital toxoplasmosis can be resolved with motor disorders in the child, brain damage, miscarriage, mental retardation, blindness, and even neonatal death. In fact, this issue is so serious that if you contract toxoplasmosis and are planning a pregnancy, it is recommended to wait at least six months.

I will tell you what the transmission routes of the parasite are (it is microscopic) and I will give you all the information you need; but remember to consult all your doubts and express your concerns about it. The best place to do it is the consultation of the midwife, who will not hesitate to clarify how many questions you ask.

In healthy people (children or adults), contracting toxoplasmosis will not cause more problems than an inflammation of the lymph nodes in the neck (painless), or symptoms such as fever, tiredness, headaches (like the flu), even a rash. However, the problem is greatly aggravated when it comes to pregnant women or immunosuppressed people..

Transmission of toxoplasmosis.

It is an infection that is always spread orally, when the microorganisms reach the digestive system. Some experts believe that half of the infections are caused by the consumption of raw or undercooked meat, although surely you have heard of the feces of an infected cat as a source of contagion. It is also possible that the parasite reaches your body by drinking contaminated water, vegetables or fruits, touching land that has oocysts (the microorganisms I have told you about). Be very careful with utensils that cut raw meat! You may cook the food well, but do not properly wash knives, scissors, etc. and destine these to other uses later, in this case the risk persists.

The only way of transmission between people is during pregnancy or by receiving a blood transfusion; some sources speak of the possibility (rare) of acquiring the disease after an organ transplant from a sick person.

Expenses and pregnant women

The first night I spent with my eldest newborn son in the hospital, my partner went home to change his clothes and while he did, he saw a fragment of a documentary that spoke of the number of abandoned cats when the owner became pregnant and discovered that he had no toxoplasmosis antibodies. You don't need to take the cat out of the house! Of course, you will do well to follow these tips.

• Avoid changing the sand of the excrement yourself; and if you have no choice, do it using gloves, and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
• Cook the meat you are going to eat well: the center cannot be red and the juice that comes off will be clear. Do not eat semi-raw meats
• Thoroughly wash knives, forks, cutting boards, kitchen bench, etc. exposed to raw meat before it has been cooked.
• If you like gardening and have plants, wear gloves and wash your hands after hitting the ground.
• If you have other children and you take them to the sand park, wash your hands carefully as soon as you get home, or sooner if you can.

As you can see, the recommendations also include other potentially risky situations, and not just contact with cats. In any case, they do not make sense if in the analyzes that the midwife has carried out it is discovered that you have already passed the infection, but hygiene is always necessary.

Why the cats?

These adorable animals are the preferred 'shelter' for toxoplasma gondii, but not all cats have been infected at some point in their life. I have lived with cats for many years, and in my second pregnancy I still did not have antibodies, it may be that none of them had been in contact with the parasite or that my hobby to wash my hands has prevented this infection. Remember that when we speak of the oral route we also think of the act of putting contaminated hands to the mouth.

It is better to take extreme precautions, even when a cat that does not go outside and is fed with food, has little chance of acquiring the parasite. Some sources include a recommendation not to keep new kittens during pregnancy, and to wash your hands after playing with one of these cats.

According to the CDC (United States) 15 percent of women of childbearing age are immune, so there are many that could be infected. The best measure is preventionBut if the second or third trimester blood tests show abnormalities, or if the ultrasound scans reveal abnormalities, doctors study each case in particular.