Toxoplasmosis in pregnancy

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Toxoplasmosis disease is caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii.

When cats contract the disease by ingesting feces or meat from other contaminated animals, the parasite reproduces in its intestine and ends up in its droppings. In a matter of days this parasite becomes infectious and, in addition, is resistant to most disinfectants.

Below you have an index with all the points that we will discuss in this article.

Index

Toxoplasmosis in pregnancy

Under certain conditions of temperature and humidity, the parasite is able to live in the soil. It is important to know that infected cats usually appear healthy.

Parasite of toxoplasmosis

symptom

Although, toxoplasmosis is one of the most frequent human infections in the world, in most cases it goes unnoticed. The symptoms of toxoplasmosis, if they occur, resemble those of the flu and occur once in a lifetime.

However, normally the parasite remains inside the body indefinitely; It does not produce discomfort and remains inactive unless the immune system does not work properly. For this reason, toxoplasmosis is one of the most worrisome opportunistic infections in AIDS patients.



Risks

When a woman has developed immunity to the infection between 6 and 9 months before becoming pregnant, it is very rare that there is a danger of transmitting the infection to her baby. In contrast, when a pregnant woman contracted the disease for the first time, there is a 40% chance of transmitting the infection to the fetus.

It should be noted that the risk and severity of the baby's infection will also depend on the gestation time the mother has at that time. For this reason, during pregnancy several blood tests are performed in which it is studied if the mother-to-be has passed the disease previously (being immunized for her) or on the contrary has the risk of transmitting it to the baby.

The probability of infection in the baby that is forming inside the maternal womb is lower during the first trimester of pregnancy, being 15%; while there is a 30% probability in the second trimester of pregnancy and 65% during the third trimester of pregnancy that the baby in formation is infected with toxoplasmosis (fetal toxoplasmosis).

Although, on the contrary, when the infection occurs at an earlier stage of pregnancy, the consequences for the fetus are more serious.

Newborn with toxoplasmosis

Consequences

In principle, up to 90% of infected babies (congenital toxoplasmosis) appear normal when they are born, but months or years later between 80-90% develop significant ocular infections.

Some children also present later:

  • Hearing loss
  • Mental retardation.
  • Hydrocephalus
  • Learning problems.
  • Stroke attacks

The disease contracted during pregnancy can also cause fetal death or miscarriage.

How is it spread?

What are the causes that can infect a woman pregnant with toxoplasmosis? The infection can be contracted by:

  • Contact with cat droppings.
  • Eat raw or undercooked meats contaminated with the parasite.
  • Eat contaminated and poorly washed vegetables, in which you have defecated an infected animal and that have not been cleaned and disinfected carefully afterwards.
  • Blood transfusion from an infected individual to a healthy one.
  • Vertical transmission, the pregnant mother transmits the placenta parasites to the fetus.
Toxoplasmosis infection

Prevention

The general recommendations to avoid the spread of toxoplasmosis, for those pregnant women or with intentions to stay, are:

  • Wash hands with soap before and after handling any food, especially raw meat. Also do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth with dirty hands.
  • Cook the meat well since the toxoplasma parasite dies at 72ºC.
  • Do not drink milk or raw eggs.
  • Do not take sausages that have not been cooked.
  • Wash and sanitize fruits and vegetables well, with products suitable for food hygiene.
  • Avoid gardening jobs by contact with the earth, where it is possible that you have defecated an infected cat.
  • Avoid contact with cats. If you already have one, you must take care of and feed another person during the time the pregnancy lasts.

It is important to follow these recommendations, since we could reduce up to 60% the risk of infection.


fertility specialist consultation in Tarragona(Spain)

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