Toxoplasmosis is believed to be an infectious disease caused by the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma. For a person with a healthy immune system, this disease is moderate and asymptomatic, but toxoplasmosis in pregnant women is quite dangerous, since a microscopic intracellular parasite can affect the placenta and the baby. The main sources of infection are cats, as well as poorly washed fruits and vegetables, insufficiently cooked or fried meat of animals or birds that are infected with the parasite.
It should be noted that animals that have this pathogen in their bodies can infect humans through saliva, urine, and lacrimal fluid, although fortunately Toxoplasma in this form quickly dies and does little harm to the living organism. But the pathogen, which is excreted along with the feces of cats, lives in the environment for about a year and a half and causes a rather big danger when it enters the human body. Having learned that they are in a position, most mothers try to get rid of their pets, give them to relatives, neighbors, acquaintances or drive them out into the street. Of course, toxoplasmosis in pregnant women is a rather serious disease, which should be treated with full responsibility, listen to the doctor’s recommendations, but at the same time it’s not necessary to get rid of your pets.
According to studies, it was proved that if animals live in a house for more than five years, then almost every owner of this house has immunity to Toxoplasma. Undoubtedly, the so-called safety rules must be observed in order not to cause toxoplasmosis in pregnant women. For this, it is necessary, first of all, to wash your hands thoroughly after the street, boil and fry the meat well, wash fruits and vegetables. When cooking meat, poultry and fish, it is best to use gloves because of the possible presence of wounds or scratches on the hands, and in no case put your hands to your mouth. If you spend time in the garden poking around in the ground, you should also wear gloves. In no case during pregnancy do not get cats, try not to play with them, do not let them at the dinner table, entrust the cleaning of their toilet to another family member, and if no one, then save yourself with gloves.
How to find out if your body has this parasite? In this case, all doctors suggest passing an analysis for toxoplasmosis during pregnancy, because a woman with strong immunity does not even suspect about its presence, although the main symptoms are enlarged lymph nodes, joint pain, cause fatigue, sore throat, headache. Therefore, in any case, it is necessary to pass a blood test, with which you can detect toxoplasmosis.
During pregnancy, treatment can only be prescribed by your doctor, in no case do not try to cope with it yourself. You will be scouted to undergo a number of additional ultrasound examinations, and if necessary, special antibiotics will be prescribed that will reduce the possibility of transmitting this infection to the child, they will examine the amniotic fluid, and if it is infected, they will write directions to the genetics. It is the specialist who together with you will decide on the future future of the baby.
I would also like to note that toxoplasmosis in pregnant women is very dangerous, therefore, before deciding on an abortion, it is best to go through additional studies in order to once again check for the presence of this pathogen in the body, for this, a umbilical canal puncture is performed. After giving birth to a child whose mother was infected, they carefully examine it, especially pay great attention to the consultations of an ophthalmologist and a neurologist.