Protection from toxoplasma

The best way to protect your baby during pregnancy is to protect yourself.

Toxoplasmosis is a not-so-rare infection, especially if you have stray cats, eat raw/undercooked meat, drink unpasteurized milk, or engage in gardening.

However, these lifestyle habits may have already "infected" you with toxoplasmosis and thus given you immunity.

During a prenatal exam, your doctor probably tested you for toxoplasmosis and found out whether or not you have developed immunity.

If you have not been tested or have never contracted the parasite before, you should be extra careful during pregnancy.

This is because, although the chances of you becoming infected now are small, the risk to the fetus is real.

More specifically, if you become infected at the beginning of your pregnancy, the chances of transmitting the infection to the fetus are lower, but the potential consequences are much more serious.

On the contrary, if you become infected in advanced pregnancy, transmission is more likely but the potential consequences are less serious.

Fortunately, statistics show that the number of pregnant women who contract toxoplasmosis is small, while only 2 in 10,000 children are born with severe congenital toxoplasmosis.

Prevention

Protect both of you from toxoplasmosis by following some simple hygiene rules.

• If you have a domestic cat, you should take it to the vet for an examination. If it carries the parasite and you have not fallen ill, it would be a good idea to entrust its care to a relative or friend for this period. If there is no one willing to host your pet, you can leave it in a small animal hotel.
• If you have a domestic cat and you have not been sick, keep it away from the parasite (no walks outside, no raw meat and no contact with other cats) and assign someone else to clean its litter box for you daily. If this is not possible, wear disposable gloves and a mask and take charge of the cleaning yourself. Don't forget to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water immediately afterwards.
• Also, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water whenever you handle soil, sand, raw meat, or unwashed vegetables. If you do gardening, always wear disposable gloves and a mask, and don't plant in areas where cats have left their feces.
• Cook the meat well and do not taste it if it is not completely cooked or boiled.
• Freeze meat for several days before cooking it to reduce the chance of contamination.
• Thoroughly wash and disinfect cutting surfaces and knives with hot water and soap after each use.
• Wash and disinfect (with a little vinegar in water) fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating them. You can also peel them for extra care.
• Avoid drinking untreated water if you travel to other countries or if you do not know where it comes from.

Treatment

If, despite being careful, you develop symptoms of toxoplasmosis (mild malaise, slight fever, swollen glands, rash, etc.), you will be examined to determine if you have been infected.

In the rare event that the test is positive, you will likely be treated with antibiotics and in some cases immunoglobulin is used to limit the risk of transmitting the infection to the fetus.

Of course, periodic ultrasounds and amniocentesis for PCR testing should be performed.

Finally, after the baby is born, the appropriate checks will be carried out by the pediatric department.