Pregnancy and a cat in the apartment. True signs with cats for pregnant women

Pregnant women often hear warnings addressed to them that are passed down from generation to generation. Many of them can rather be called prejudices than medical contraindications. But, nevertheless, there is no smoke without fire. So let's find out why expectant mothers are not recommended to pet cats.

Many doctors have special opinion about the possibility of contracting this disease from cats. That's what it's based on. Toxoplasmosis is also a disease dirty hands, in which the infectious agent is transmitted through dirty food or hands. Yes, cats are considered producers of toxoplasma cysts, but not always. After all, your four-legged friend must be infected with toxoplasmosis, and according to statistics, only 2% of cats are susceptible to this. In addition, the period of excretion of Toxoplasma in feces in infected animals occurs only once in their entire life, and then for 7-21 days. In this case, Toxoplasma cysts should enter gastrointestinal tract pregnant woman. How will they get there? Most likely if future mom has contact with the feces of an infected cat. What conclusion does this suggest? A pregnant woman should not care for a cat, but it would be more correct to delegate such care to her husband or other family members.

Doctors say that the frequency of transmission to the fetus depends on how early the infection occurred. If the mother is infected in the first trimester of pregnancy, this will lead to infection of the fetus in 14-17% of cases. And the earlier a woman becomes infected with toxoplasmosis, the worse the prognosis for the health of the unborn child. The frequency of transmission of this infection to the fetus increases with the duration of pregnancy. Thus, in the third trimester of pregnancy, fetal infection accounts for 60-65% of cases. But then the degree of harm to the unborn child is not very pronounced. That is, the majority of newborns whose mothers became infected with toxoplasmosis later pregnancy will not show signs of toxoplasmosis. By the way, the diagnosis of this disease in our time is carried out using a variety of modern methods.

So, a pregnant woman’s love for animals still has its risks. But she has no right to risk her health, and especially the health of her unborn child. Therefore, it is better to avoid contact with cats, and especially strangers and street ones. For your own peace of mind, it is recommended to check your pet for the presence of this infection. Take care of yourself and be careful in everything!

Especially for Elena TOLOCHIK

The myth that domestic cat must be isolated from a pregnant woman, based on the fact that our purring friends are very often carriers of a microorganism dangerous to human health - toxoplasma. However, it does not take into account the possibility that our own body has already had close contact with a dangerous microbe during its life, and therefore did not fail to reliably protect itself from it. To understand this issue, you need to find out what kind of microbe it is that can cause so much trouble to a person and his furry pets.

Is the fear of getting infected from “our little brothers” justified? Can pregnant women keep a cat in the house? Most often, concerns arise about the possibility that the animal is a potential source of the causative agent of toxoplasmosis. Indeed, infection of a woman with this disease during pregnancy is fraught with enormous danger. A miscarriage is not the worst thing that can happen. It's worse if it's born handicapped child, cripple. This really is a disaster for the whole family for life. Considering the unpleasant chance of getting a lot of problems from the proximity of a beloved cat, people are trying in every way to get rid of the animal in the house. But you really shouldn't rush into this. If it were true that infection of pregnant women with toxoplasmosis from pets was such an inevitable and widespread phenomenon, then half of humanity would now be moving in wheelchairs. Fortunately, for the emergence of really dangerous situation For a woman and her future offspring, a fatal confluence of many circumstances is necessary.

Firstly, if your cat has been living with you for a long time and managed to get sick with toxoplasmosis, then, most likely, you yourself suffered from this disease (and its symptoms are very minor, they can easily be attributed to a cold), which means that your body is immune, exclusive reinfection toxoplasma. It is believed that more than half the world's population is infected with this microorganism. For example, in France - about 90%, in America - about 60%, in Russia - about 70%. By the way, toxoplasmosis can be contracted not only from cats. A dangerous microorganism can be introduced into the body when processing raw, infected meat or during gardening work, digging in soil contaminated with microbes. Expectant mothers need to take this into account. As already mentioned, a woman who has recovered from toxoplasmosis acquires immunity, that is, immunity to the disease. This means that the danger for future pregnancy and the offspring are already behind.

Secondly, cats that have suffered toxoplasmosis also acquire active immunity and become non-infectious to others. Thus, that fatal combination of circumstances that can ruin people’s joy of motherhood and fatherhood implies that while the family is waiting for a new addition to the family, their pet “catch” Toxoplasma somewhere, falls ill and infects its owner.

In light of the above facts, such a probability is small, but still exists, and cannot be discounted. To finally decide whether to get rid of a cat, have it examined in veterinary clinic. The appropriate tests must be done at the hospital and by the owner of the animal. If you (and your cat) already have a disease on your back, then move on through life together without parting. If a cat does not have immunity, then it remains at risk of contracting (at the most inopportune moment) toxoplasmosis, and this, as you understand, complicates the matter. To prevent your pet from becoming infected, do not let him outside or feed him. raw meat, do not feed dairy products that have not been heat treatment. Pregnant women should refrain from cleaning cat litter boxes and entrust this to other family members. If this is not possible, then use rubber gloves (preferably disposable ones) when cleaning. Periodically disinfect your cat's litter box with boiling water. And only as a last resort, if it’s really scary, you can ask your relatives to keep the pet in their house until your long-awaited baby is born.

Throughout the 9 months of pregnancy, a woman is constantly told what she should and should not do to protect her unborn baby. Pregnant women constantly follow rules regarding what they can and cannot eat. They have to avoid drinking caffeinated drinks and abstain from taking most medications. Pregnant women are forced to constantly do exercises, adjust their daily routine to doctor's appointments, and pay attention to the temperature of the water in the bathroom before taking a swim. And now, in addition to all these experiences, the question of cats arises. Can pregnant women have contact with cats or should they strictly avoid them?

There are many rumors about the harm cats can cause to a developing fetus, and each person has their own opinion on this matter. However, in order to accept correct solution Regarding pregnancy and the presence of cats in a pregnant woman’s life, it is necessary to have reliable facts. What could be the consequences of a cat being around a pregnant woman?

For this reason, it is very important that a pregnant woman does not clean up after her cat. If there is no other way out, a woman should wear rubber gloves and observe special measures hygienic precaution. Cat feces needs to be cleaned every day. To reduce the risk of infection, keep cats away from kitchen counters. Pregnant women should wash their hands every time after touching a cat. Cats should also be taken to the veterinarian regularly to ensure that deworming and vaccinations are up to date. right time.

Of course, precautions must be taken, but pregnant women can still safely be under the same roof with cats.