Toxoplasmosis in pregnancy

What is toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. It is present in the intestine of animals such as cats and pig who pass out the parasite in their feces. Coming in contact with contaminated soil or litter can spread the infection in humans. The parasite forms cysts in the brain and the muscles which leads to symptoms. It is specially dangerous in pregnancy as pregnant women are at a higher risk for the infection and it can also be passed on to the unborn child.

What are the signs and symptoms of toxoplasmosis ?

Most people who have a toxoplasmosis infection do not show any symptoms but if you have a weak immune system, symptoms may appear. The symptoms of toxoplasmosis are similar to the flu which include headaches, fever, swollen glands and muscle ache.

How to avoid contracting toxoplasmosis during pregnancy?

You should take care to avoid toxoplasmosis infection during pregnancy. Some tips to be kept in mind are:

• Always follow food hygiene. Only eat properly washed and cooked meet. Do not eat under cooked food.
• Wash and peel your fruits and vegetables before consuming them.
• Only consume filtered or boiled water.
• Do not drink unpasteurized milk.
• If you own a cat you, should avoid changing the litter yourself during pregnancy. If you cannot avoid the task, make sure to wear gloves while cleaning the litter box and wash your hands with soap and water afterwards.
• Make sure that the litter boxes are cleaned daily and then disinfected.
• Only give your cat canned food or cooked meat. Do not allow the cat to have raw or uncooked meat.
• Use gloves while gardening or coming in contact with soil and then you should wash your hands with soap and water afterward.
• Cover your outdoors sand pit when not being used by children for play.

Is toxoplasmosis dangerous for the baby?

Yes. Toxoplasmosis is a dangerous infection for the baby. It can be transmitted from the mother to the unborn baby. The chances of transmission depend upon the time of the pregnancy when the mother is infected. If the mother is infected in the first trimester, chances of transmission are low but if transmitted there are severe symptoms. The chances of transmission are higher in the second and third trimester but the symptoms are milder. The infection can also lead to stillbirth or miscarriage. In a newborn the problems caused by toxoplasmosis include:

• The child can have problem with the development of nervous system and the brain.
• The child can have seizures.
• There may be microencephaly or an unusually small brain and head due to development issues.
• There can be hydrocephalus or build up of fluid in the brain.
• The child can have liver and spleen damage.
• Serious eye infection maybe present sometimes even leading to blindness.
• The child can have jaundice which is yellowing of skin

It is very common that the baby infected with toxoplasmosis during pregnancy may not show any symptoms at birth. But symptoms may appear later in life and these include-

• Severe eye infection leading to blindness may develop.
• The child may develop hearing loss or deafness.
• Due to a deficit in brain development, intellectual disability may also be present.