Getting Pregnant

Cats and Pregnancy: Toxoplasmosis Risks and Prevention

Learn about toxoplasmosis risk from cats during pregnancy. Understand symptoms, prevention tips for kitty litter, and treatment options for pregnant women.

It is not technically cats that you need to worry about during pregnancy - it is more to do with their kitty litter. Cat faeces can carry a dangerous infection called toxoplasmosis. The good news is you do not need to give away your beloved cat. You simply need to make some adjustments to how the litter is handled - your partner is about to take on a much more hands-on role.

What Is Toxoplasmosis?

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a microscopic parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. In healthy people with a good immune system, the effects are only mild. For pregnant women, toxoplasmosis is far more risky - the parasite from faeces can travel through your system and infect the placenta and your unborn baby.

The risk of your baby becoming infected increases as you progress in pregnancy.
The effects are more damaging if infected in the first trimester.
It is important to avoid this infection throughout your entire pregnancy.

How Contagious Is Toxoplasmosis?

While the most common way to become infected is through direct contact with cat faeces, you can also be exposed through gardening, eating unwashed vegetables, or drinking contaminated water. You cannot catch the infection from another person who is infected.

Symptoms of Toxoplasmosis

This infection can cause mild to severe symptoms during pregnancy:

Symptoms in Pregnant Women

Swollen lymph glands
Muscle aches and pains
Headaches
Fever
Inflammation of the lungs, heart, and eyes
Stillbirth, in rare cases

Symptoms in Infected Babies

Long-term structural and neurological damage
Skin rashes
Nervous system damage
Mental retardation
Hardening of brain tissue
Liver damage
Eye problems
Death, in rare cases

Who Is Affected	Key Symptoms	Severity
Pregnant Mother	Swollen glands, muscle aches, headaches, fever	Mild to severe
Unborn Baby (1st trimester)	Neurological damage, brain tissue hardening, eye problems	Most damaging
Unborn Baby (later trimesters)	Skin rashes, liver damage, nervous system damage	Higher infection risk but less severe

How to Avoid Toxoplasmosis During Pregnancy

Taking a few simple precautions will significantly reduce the risk of infection:

Wash hands thoroughly before eating.
Wear gloves while gardening, especially if your cat uses the garden.
Avoid contact with cat faeces and their rear ends.
Ask your partner to handle emptying the cat's litter tray.
Clean the litter tray daily to ensure thorough hygiene.

Treatment for Toxoplasmosis in Pregnancy

Treatment is unnecessary for regular, healthy people. If you are infected during pregnancy, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection. Always consult your healthcare professional before taking any medication while you are pregnant.

Kimberly-Clark India makes no warranties or representations regarding the completeness or accuracy of the information. This information should be used only as a guide and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional medical or other health professional advice.

FAQs on Cats and Pregnancy Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, commonly found in cat faeces. For pregnant women, the parasite can travel through the system and infect the placenta and unborn baby. Effects are most damaging if infection occurs in the first trimester.

No, you do not need to give away your cat during pregnancy. You simply need to make adjustments to how the kitty litter is handled. Ask your partner to empty the litter tray and ensure it is cleaned thoroughly every day.

Wash hands thoroughly before eating, wear gloves while gardening, avoid contact with cat faeces, ask your partner to handle the litter tray, and ensure the tray is cleaned daily. You can also be exposed through unwashed vegetables and contaminated water.

Symptoms include swollen lymph glands, muscle aches and pains, headaches, fever, and inflammation of the lungs, heart, and eyes. In rare cases, it can cause stillbirth. The infection can range from mild to severe during pregnancy.

Infected babies may experience long-term structural and neurological damage, skin rashes, nervous system damage, mental retardation, hardening of brain tissue, liver damage, eye problems, and in rare cases, death. First trimester infection causes the most damage.

Yes, you can be exposed through gardening in contaminated soil, eating unwashed vegetables, or drinking contaminated water. However, the most common way is through direct contact with cat faeces. You cannot catch it from another infected person.

If infected during pregnancy, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection. Treatment is unnecessary for healthy non-pregnant people. Always consult your healthcare professional before taking any medication while pregnant.