With a new baby on the horizon, pregnancy is often a time of excitement and anticipation. However, it is often also a time for heightened awareness around health and safety matters — and rightly so. Indeed it’s instinctive to want to protect both the expectant mother and the unborn child. While many expectant parents are familiar with common pregnancy risks, one lesser-known yet serious threat is congenital toxoplasmosis. This parasitic infection can have devastating consequences for unborn babies. In today’s post, we’ll explore what congenital toxoplasmosis is, the risks it poses, and practical steps pregnant women and families with young children can take to minimise exposure.

What is Congenital Toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasmosis is an infection that’s caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. While the infection is often harmless and asymptomatic for healthy adults, it becomes particularly concerning when a pregnant woman contracts it, as the parasite can cross the placenta and infect the developing baby. This is known as congenital toxoplasmosis.

How Common is Congenital Toxoplasmosis?

According to the pregnancy and baby charity Tommy’s, approximately 350 people are infected by toxoplasmosis each year in England and Wales. So, the chances of infection during pregnancy are small. However, this article is inspired by a real-life case where such an infection occurred during pregnancy. Sadly, the adverse effects for the child were severe and permanent.

What are the Risks to Unborn Babies & Young Children?

The timing of any exposure to the Toxoplasmosis gondii parasite during pregnancy affects both the risk of transmission and the potential severity of the effects on the foetus/child. While the transmission risk is lower during early pregnancy, the possible adverse effects for the developing foetus are much more severe. Conversely, the risk of transmission to the child is higher in late pregnancy but the potential effects may be milder or appear later in their lives. Depending on the timing, therefore, the risks to the child could be anything from mild effects that appear later in life to something as severe as brain abnormalities, eye damage, or even stillbirth. Other potential effects include seizures and neurological issues, miscarriages, hearing problems, learning disabilities and more. It is therefore incredibly important for expectant families to understand how to avoid toxoplasmosis infection.

“If you get toxoplasmosis while you’re pregnant it can cause miscarriage. If it spreads to your baby it can cause serious complications.” — NHS

How Pregnant Women Can Reduce The Risk

Preventing toxoplasmosis during pregnancy is crucial. Here are key measures expectant mothers should take:

Food Safety

• Avoid touching and/or eating raw or undercooked meat, especially lamb, pork and venison.
• Avoid touching and/or eating cured/dried/smoked meats like salami, Parma ham etc.
• Avoid handling and/or eating raw or undercooked oysters, clams and mussels.
• Ensure that fruit and vegetables are thoroughly washed.
• Avoid unpasteurised dairy products that may carry the parasite, especially those containing unpasteurised goat’s milk.
• Wash hands, kitchen surfaces, and utensils, especially after handling uncooked meat or indeed any of the above.

Pets & Animals

• If you are pregnant and own a cat, avoid changing the litter box yourself. If that’s not possible, ensure that you wear protective gloves while doing so and thoroughly wash your hands once you’ve finished.
• Consider keeping pet cats indoors during pregnancy to prevent them from hunting infected rodents or birds.
• Don’t give pet cats uncooked or undercooked meat.
• Avoid contact with sheep, especially pregnant sheep and lambs.

Hygiene and Environmental Care

• Always wash your hands after gardening or handling soil.
• Wear gloves while gardening or handling sandboxes (sandpits may be contaminated with cat faeces).
• Ensure meat is cooked to safe and sufficiently high temperatures.

Protecting Young Children from Infection

For families with toddlers and young children, it’s important to maintain hygiene practices to reduce exposure:

• Teach children to wash hands after playing outdoors, handling pets, and before eating.
• Cover outdoor sandpits to prevent contamination by neighbourhood cats.
• Ensure family meals follow proper food safety guidelines.

The Cat Myth

Many who have heard of toxoplasmosis believe its cause is linked primarily to cats. While cats are a host for Toxoplasma gondii and it can be contracted through contact with their faeces, they are not the most common way people get infected. Most often, contaminated food (such as undercooked meat, unwashed vegetables, or contaminated water) is the primary source of infection. Pregnant women should therefore be cautious about handling soil, raw meat, and unpasteurised dairy — not just cats. The NHS itself says:

“You cannot catch toxoplasmosis from stroking a cat, having a cat as a pet or from coming into contact with someone who’s got it.”

Stay Vigilant

Congenital toxoplasmosis is a serious but preventable condition. If they take the proper precautions, expectant mothers and families with young children can significantly reduce their risk of infection. Awareness and education are crucial, so feel free to bookmark and share this information with loved ones to help protect future generations. Learn more about toxoplasmosis and its symptoms here.

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