Toxoplasmosis And Pregnancy, True Or False?
Future mom, if you are one of those who adores cats, you may have already been told about toxoplasmosis and its supposed dangers in pregnancy, but it is important that you know that it is practically impossible for your feline to infect you, and then we will tell why.
If you find yourself expecting a baby and you have a cat, you may be distressed because toxoplasmosis and pregnancy are a terrible combination. This is a disease that can cause certain malformations and even compromise the life of the future baby.
However, cats are not to blame for this, it turns out that the infection is caused by a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, which remains in the body of people or animals without showing any symptoms.
Many studies show that the main source of infection in people occurs when the parasite’s cysts are ingested in raw or undercooked meat, sausages, raw eggs, poorly washed vegetables or fruits and being in direct contact with cat feces.
It is common for people who are not well informed about this subject, point to cats as the main causes of this disease. This inaccurate information should be clarified to the community in general, to avoid the abandonment of these cute little animals.
What is truth and what is a myth?
There is no need to worry dear mom, we know that you adore your kitten and abandonment is your last alternative. To do this, we will clarify your doubts, we will tell you what is true and what is false so that you can live and caress your pet with peace of mind:
Pregnant women cannot have cats
Fake
The only way for your feline to infect you with toxoplasmosis is to handle his feces and then do not disinfect your hands.
Pets are the only source of contagion
Fake
As we have already told you before, the main sources of infection of this disease are raw food and poorly washed before eating.
It is a disease that exclusively women suffer
Fake
Women, children, men, and the elderly alike can get toxoplasmosis.
If the infection is generated in the mother long before she becomes pregnant, the baby is not at risk
True
Many doctors say that after contracting the disease and complying with the treatment, it is recommended to allow six months to get pregnant and that toxoplasmosis does not affect the baby.
If I am pregnant I should avoid gardening and planting flowers
True
In the soil, and especially the earth, there are usually many parasites, so gardening is not recommended or at least you should wash your hands well after handling the plants.
Cats that are not sick with toxoplasmosis do not transmit the disease
True
Many people have the mistaken belief that when they are in contact with the cat while pregnant they can be infected immediately, and this is not the case, it happens due to the wrong handling of their litter box.
The cat becomes infected for 3 to 20 days, then releases the parasite through its feces for a month. If after a while it becomes infected again, it does not release more parasites
How to avoid contagion of toxoplasmosis to a pregnant woman?
It is not convenient that you become obsessed and do not want to approach or care for your kitten, what is important is that you inform yourself about the things you should avoid so as not to contract toxoplasmosis and affect your baby. It is for this reason that below we offer you some tips so that you take them into account:
- Don’t feed your kitten raw food during your pregnancy
- Wash all fruits and vegetables before consuming them
- Wash your hands with a lot of soap after cleaning your pet’s litter box, if someone else does it it is much better, so the probability of contagion is zero
- Keep the cat indoors to prevent it from hunting birds or rodents
- Wear gloves if you garden
- Avoid eating raw or undercooked meats.
Probably if you have a kitten at home and you read this article it is because you love and value it, so it is important to know that cats are animals that give a lot of love and we must eliminate the false belief that they are a source of disease.
