What is toxoplasmosis?
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasite called *Toxoplasma gondii*. In healthy people, it often causes no symptoms. However, if caught during pregnancy, it can sometimes pass to the baby and cause complications.
A blood test can check if you have had toxoplasmosis in the past or have a recent infection. If you are infected during pregnancy, you may be offered more tests such as ultrasound scans or an amniocentesis to check the baby.
Toxoplasmosis can be caught by eating undercooked meat, unwashed fruits or vegetables, or from handling cat litter or soil that contains the parasite.
If passed to the baby, toxoplasmosis can affect the eyes, brain, or other organs. The risk is lower earlier in pregnancy but effects can be more severe. Later on in the pregnancy, the risk is higher but the effects are generally less severe than if contracted earlier in the pregnancy. Many infected babies are born healthy, especially if treatment is given.
You may be offered antibiotics to reduce the risk to your baby. Scans will be done regularly to check for any effects. If fetal infection is suspected, your care team will discuss further testing and treatments.
Once you’ve had toxoplasmosis, you are usually immune and it is very unlikely to happen again. Simple hygiene measures can help avoid infection during pregnancy.