Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy: Consequences For The Fetus And Prevention

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Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy: Consequences For The Fetus And Prevention
Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy: Consequences For The Fetus And Prevention

Video: Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy: Consequences For The Fetus And Prevention

Video: Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy: Consequences For The Fetus And Prevention
Video: Toxoplasmosis & Pregnancy 2024, March
Anonim

Toxoplasmosis is a disease of an infectious nature, which during pregnancy can be dangerous to the fetus, provoke a number of dire consequences. Every expectant mother knows about this, so she is ready to take any measures to protect her child from the influence of pathology. If the disease has already been detected, the woman can influence the reduction of possible risks.

Content

  • 1 Possible consequences of toxoplasmosis

    • 1.1 In the first trimester
    • 1.2 In the second trimester
    • 1.3 In the third trimester
  • 2 What to do if the fetus is infected with toxoplasmosis
  • 3 Postponed pathology before pregnancy
  • 4 Preventive measures

Possible consequences of toxoplasmosis

Half a century ago, toxoplasmosis was a direct reason for preparing for an abortion. This is explained by its danger if a woman was infected in the early stages of pregnancy. Talking about contact with the infection even before the child was conceived, the likelihood of global problems is minimized.

To protect yourself from pathology, it is worth understanding what are the ways of infection, they are as follows:

  1. Transplacentally - from the expectant mother to the child.
  2. Through the use of low-quality products in the form of minced meat, meat and sausages, without heat treatment in accordance with the rules.
  3. Orally, if the infection has spread to food due to neglect of personal hygiene rules after cleaning up your animals.

Toxoplasmosis mostly affects women due to the fact that they are more likely to have cats, which are carriers of this infection. They are also the ones who often cook food, and in the process take a sample, which can also contribute to the disease. But the main danger is cats.

It is believed that it is better to get sick with toxoplasmosis in childhood, since before pregnancy, a woman will develop antibodies that can protect her and the child from complications during development in the womb. If, nevertheless, the disease was discovered during pregnancy and a cat lives in the house, this does not mean that it is a carrier. Provided that the pet's toilet is changed regularly, he does not go outside and eats dry food, it is unlikely that the animal is the problem.

In the first trimester

The development of the infection, if it is congenital, is determined by the time of infection. If the pathology affects a woman in the first days of pregnancy, the fetus is likely to die. In other cases, children are born with deviations, one of which is a pronounced form of toxoplasmosis.

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In the second trimester

When infection occurs in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy, the risks of infection of the fetus are reduced. In this case, the child is unlikely to die. The probability that it will be affected by toxoplasmosis is no more than 30 percent.

In the third trimester

If a woman becomes infected in the third trimester, there is a 60 percent chance that the baby will be infected. But in the process of development, the fetus has already become more resistant to various infections. This means that the child has every chance of being born without a single deviation. The disease can make itself felt, but not earlier than after a few years.

What to do if the fetus is infected with toxoplasmosis

Infection is evidenced by a situation in which a woman's blood is found to have developed antibodies to toxoplasmosis, and the parasite itself is found in the amniotic fluid or internal organs. If the result of the examination indicates the possibility of infection, you should urgently consult a doctor for advice. After that, the woman will have to pass several more tests and be monitored in the hospital for at least 2 weeks.

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If the fetus has become infected, the recommendations will be limited to terminating the pregnancy. There is also another option - this is a specific treatment aimed at reducing the risk of congenital pathology in a child. But no one can guarantee that such therapy will help get rid of problems.

If toxoplasmosis is found in the second trimester, the woman will be prescribed antibiotics and regular tests for parasites in the amniotic fluid. In the third trimester, treatment is also carried out with antibacterial agents.

Postponed pathology before pregnancy

If a woman has had the disease at least 6 months before conceiving a child, the chances of infection of the fetus are reduced to zero. But, speaking of an infection that has affected the body quite recently, it can affect the development of the child. Therefore, if there is an opportunity to plan a pregnancy, it is worth considering this period to completely get rid of the risk.

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Preventive measures

To reduce the risks of infection to a minimum, it is worth excluding food and dishes from the diet that may have undergone insufficient processing.

First of all, these include:

  • kebabs;
  • pasties;
  • whitish.

After cooking meat dishes, a woman should wash her hands well several times. During cooking, it is better to refrain from taking samples from the minced meat, unless it is likely that it has already been sufficiently processed. Whenever you need to work in the garden or vegetable garden, be sure to wear gloves to avoid contact with the ground, which can be infested with parasites.

When there is a cat in the house, the woman should not be cleaning her toilet. The pet should also be checked for pathology prior to conception. If the cat is infected, it is forbidden to let him go outside. The pet should only eat cooked meat and other foods that, in principle, cannot contain infection.

To be completely calm in the absence of risks, it is better to exclude contact with cats as much as possible at the time of carrying a child. A woman needs to focus on proper nutrition and the use of vitamin complexes that allow her to keep her immunity in good shape, which will protect her not only from toxoplasmosis, but also from other diseases.

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