Pregnant women must exercise caution when in contact with various types of household pets and other animals. Here are some to be concerned about:
Pregnancy and Cats
Any pregnant cat owner should be concerned about toxoplasmosis, an infectious parasitic disease. It is rare, only about one to ten infants out of every 1,000 in the United States get it, but it is still very important to be tested for it before getting pregnant as if it is present in the blood, it can pass through the placenta to the unborn child. A simple blood test will show if a woman has the positive antibody, meaning she is immune to it and so is the fetus. If a woman has owned a cat for a long time, the odds increase that she is immune.
If a pregnant woman gets toxoplasmosis during weeks 10 through 24 of pregnancy, the time when most birth defects tend to occur, the risk for severe problems in the baby is about 5 to 6%, this according to the Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS). Most infants infected by toxoplasmosis will not show symptoms at birth, but later on may develop blindness or intellectual problems, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Only a small percentage experience serious eye or brain damage at birth. An infant actually has the highest risk of becoming infected in the third trimester, however, the good news is that the chance of potential problems decreases due to the fact that most of the baby’s important development has already occurred.
The real danger for contracting toxoplasmosis is when a pregnant woman comes into contact with the cat feces. Therefore, the best way to avoid toxoplasmosis is to stay away from the cat’s litter box and have someone else clean it during the entire pregnancy, preferably every day. If a woman does get toxoplasmosis, but the baby is not yet affected, there is an antibiotic called Spiramycin that may be prescribed. It reduces the likelihood of the baby contracting the infection, with no risk to mother or child, according to the Mayo Clinic. While this is a common treatment in Europe, it is still considered experimental in North America.
Pregnancy and Pet Birds
While cats are the most common way to get toxoplasmosis, pregnant women can also get it from pet birds, along with dangerous bacteria such as campylobacter and salmonella, and the disease chlamydiosis (normally from parrots, parakeets and budgerigars), according to the Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOSH). The bacteria will cause severe diarrhea and vomiting and increase the risk of miscarriage and premature delivery. A veterinarian call tell if a bird has any of these infections. A pregnant woman should not change the bird cage, but the cage must be kept clean. Also, always wash hands after touching the bird.
Pregnancy and Pet Reptiles and Amphibians
If a pregnant woman is the owner of a pet such as a lizard, turtle, snake, iguana, frog, toad or any others in this family, they and the fetus are at risk of catching the salmonella bacteria from the feces of these pets. It is not recommended to keep these types of pets when pregnant, but, if they must stay, the risk of contracting salmonella can be lowered by keeping the animal’s cage clean, not letting it on counter tops, in sinks or bathtubs, or letting it roam freely around the house, and wash hands after touching the animal.
In addition to the fetus, young children (typically age five and under) are at great risk for contracting the salmonella bacteria from these types of animals, so never let young children hold or touch them.
Pregnancy and Farm Animals
It is best to avoid farms while pregnant as farm animals, such as cattle, pigs, poultry, goats and sheep carry bacteria such as listeria, campylobacter, and salmonella, as well as the parasitic disease cryptosporidium, all harmful to both the mother and the fetus. If living on a farm, lower the risk by not handling stillborn animals, not feeding the animals, and washing hands immediately if an animal is touched.
There are a variety of infections that pregnant women can contract from a variety of different pets and animals. By taking the precautions mentioned, the risk of contracting these diseases will be greatly reduced.
Gail Oliver - Gail is an author, writer and researcher. She has been quoted in magazines as diverse as Cosmopolitan and Maclean's. Gail writes on a ...
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