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Toxoplasmosis screening

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
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Mar 4, 2010
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I wonder whether PS pregnant ladies have been checked for this.

I recently discovered that the UK doesn't screen for this routinely, whereas my friends from other countries seem to get blood work testing for this and a dozen other infections every month!

I wouldn't normally be concerned, except that up until now I haven't really been careful about what I eat. I've been trying to wash vegetables - but not any differently than before - and I haven't really been making sure my meat is well done. Also, my parents have cats; they're only allowed in the garden but my parents grow vegetables in the garden (which I ate when I was there a couple of weeks ago!). I'm sure they washed everything, but I don't think my mum knew enough to make sure she didn't serve anything that wasn't washed thoroughly!

Anyway, now I'm worried. I'm even considering paying privately to get the test done...
 

beesha77

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Nov 16, 2010
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I've never heard of being tested for that before. :???: I wouldn't worry about it too much.
 

Pandora II

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I've never heard of anyone being tested for that here.

You will also find that it's not routine to test for gestational diabetes - they don't do the 1 hour or 3 hour tests unless they suspect you may have it.

It's also not routine to test for strep. B before the birth.

They don't put drops in the baby's eyes after birth either.
 

mayerling

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Pandora|1326893075|3105781 said:
It's also not routine to test for strep. B before the birth.

They don't put drops in the baby's eyes after birth either.

I've never heard of these two things either. The toxoplasmosis thing worries me because everyone I've spoken to (from different countries) seems to be screened for it. My friend in Belgium was offered blood tests for this every month :confused:. Plus, if you have it, you can be treated for it without affecting the baby; if you don't catch it, it could cause serious damage to the fetus.
 

Loves Vintage

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Here is a link to the APA info on this topic: http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/toxoplasmosis.html At my first prenatal visit, they did include a blood test (among others) for toxoplasmosis. I thought it was simply to determine whether I had been exposed to it before, and therefore had the immunity. Aside from those initial blood tests, no subsequent blood testing was done throughout pregnancy.

In the short APA link, I noticed the following:

"Toxoplasmosis is most common in areas with warm, moist climates. More then 50% of the population in Central and Southern Europe, Africa, South America and Asia are infected with toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is common in France possibly due to the preference of minimally cooked and raw meat."

Perhaps your friends reside in countries where there is a much higher incidence of Toxoplasmosis, and that's why they have additional testing?

If it will put your worries at ease, go ahead and get the testing done privately.

ETA: Perhaps you've seen this already: http://www.screening.nhs.uk/toxoplasmosis Provides reasoning re: why the testing is not performed routinely.
 

mayerling

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Loves Vintage|1326898208|3105834 said:
Perhaps your friends reside in countries where there is a much higher incidence of Toxoplasmosis, and that's why they have additional testing?

If it will put your worries at ease, go ahead and get the testing done privately.

Perhaps, thought I'm not sure Belgium qualifies as a warm country. Though, it is possible that the way they cook might increase the incidence of toxoplasmosis.

I've been looking into having it done privately, but so far no luck.
 

Loves Vintage

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Those APA links are really highly summarized. I wouldn't put Belgium in the warm, moist climate zone either! I added another link in my eta above. Not sure if that will help your worries at all, but it is information nevertheless!
 

NewEnglandLady

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Well, my dog gets screened for it annually :)

I was tested for it several months ago, but ONLY because they detected an ultrasound abnormality during my fetal anatomy scan and toxoplasmosis was one of the potential causes for the abnormality. The doctors stated that they do not normally screen for it and the chances of me having it were very, very slim. I did test negative for it and my impression was that it was rare to be tested for it here.
 

amc80

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I've never heard of anyone being screened for it it. I've had cats my entire life, so I'd be shocked if I wasn't already immune. Really, I'd rather not know, because I'm enjoying not having to clean the cat box :)
 

pancake

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Mayerling, I wouldn't bother. The risk is very low - unless you are handling kitty litter the risk of transmission from cats is negligible (usual precautions are just to avoid handling litter and make sure it's changed frequently), and in fact the risk is probably higher from doing gardening or eating undercooked meat (and even then it's low!).

It's not routinely screened for where I live (Australia) and I have to say we are one of the "screenier" nations around! The only extra screening I have had during pregnancy was for Parvovirus B19, and that is just because I am a paediatrician and had a known exposure in the first trimester. The only person I know here who had toxo testing was a friend of mine who had a complicated pregnancy with an enlarged lymph node under her arm which was confirmed to be toxo. But it wasn't done as routine screening - it was clinically indicated.
 

MichelleCarmen

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amc80|1326905233|3105916 said:
I've never heard of anyone being screened for it it. I've had cats my entire life, so I'd be shocked if I wasn't already immune. Really, I'd rather not know, because I'm enjoying not having to clean the cat box :)

Yep, exactly. I've always had cats and when I became pregnant, DH took over the litter box duty and did so until after my second son was born and then he remembered that we didn't have to worry anymore and handed the scooper back to me. Before I got pregnant, I did get myself tested for rubella antibioties so I could be revaccinated if necessary. Once pregnant, there were some routine tests my clinic performs on all their patients, including the gestational diabetes test, which they did around 24-28 weeks and I did have that, so it was a good that they tested me.
 
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