14 July, 2000
RARE or uncooked meat has been proven to be the biggest risk factor for toxoplasmosis,
a disease that can affect unborn children.
The new research may lead to stronger warnings for women to avoid
cured meats including parma ham and salami as well as rare steaks,
along with other foods on the banned list including certain cheeses,
raw eggs and seafood.
More than 1,000 women in six European cities were quizzed about
their occupations, lifestyles and eating habits as well as their
knowledge of sources of infection.
The researchers found that between 30 and 63% of infections could
be attributed to eating raw, undercooked or cured meat, while contact
with soil was thought to have caused between six and 17% of
infections.
The least number of infections were caused in women who tasted raw
meat while preparing meals, drank unpasteurised milk or worked with
animals, and contact with cats was not found to be a risk factor for
infection.
The researchers, who published their work in today’s British
Medical Journal, found that women thought cats, eating raw meat
and eating raw or unwashed fruit and vegetables were the main source
of infection.
They have called for better consistency of information for pregnant
women, better labelling of meat and improved farm hygiene.
Despite the news, the risk of
toxoplasmosis is still very small. If you think you may have been exposed, there is a blood test that
can check, and the Toxoplasmosis Trust say that 95% of antenatal
clinics will test if you ask, or you can also ask your GP. There is an
antibiotic that can reduce the chances of the foetus being infected if
the test is found to be positive.
The Toxoplasmosis
Trust has a range of fact sheets and information available online
which go into detail about the risks, testing and treatment. Click
here to visit their website.
Click
here to read babyworld’s information on food
safety in pregnancy
Read the advice the babyworld experts gave on protecting against
infections from family pets during pregnancy:
Pregnancy&question=211">Q. ”I
have a cat. Should I take any precautions during my pregnancy?”
Pregnancy&question=381">Q. ”What
are the dangers to a pregnant woman if she is bitten or scratched by a
cat?”
Share your thoughts on this latest research on our Views
on the News discussion board. If you have worries about your
pregnancy, visit the Pregnancy
Problems discussion board for encouragement and support.
