They are the most intimate “pet baby”, maybe you never thought you would be separated from them, but you are ready to get pregnant, do you also fear that pets can affect the health of the fetus baby killer? In fact, you do not have to worry too much, as long as you do the relevant examination and take precautions, you can continue to enjoy the “pet love”! Definition and transmission of Toxoplasma gondii: Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasitic species of Toxoplasma gondii. The majority of normal people are asymptomatic when infected with Toxoplasma gondii, but infected pregnant women can transmit the infection to their fetuses, which can also lead to serious consequences. So how is Toxoplasma gondii transmitted through pets? Although there are many kinds of pets, people usually have dogs and cats. In fact, there are no Toxoplasma gondii oocysts in the feces of dogs, so dogs are generally safe. Cats and felines, however, are hosts of Toxoplasma gondii, and their feces are likely to contain Toxoplasma oocysts. Toxoplasmosis is dangerous to the fetus: 1. It can lead to organismic changes in the fetus If the fetus is infected with Toxoplasma gondii in the first trimester, it may have serious consequences. This is because the first trimester is a critical time for the development of the brain, eyes, various internal organs and nervous system. For the fetus, his most important organs may develop abnormally, which can lead to congenital cataracts or cause pathological jaundice, congenital hepatomegaly, microcephaly, hydrocephalus, etc. However, if a pregnant woman is infected with Toxoplasma gondii after the third trimester of pregnancy, her risk is relatively small. 2. It can cause damage to the fetal nervous system Medical studies have been done on some psychiatric patients who have died, and Toxoplasma gondii was found in their brains and various other organs. This suggests that Toxoplasma gondii infection may have a relationship with the incidence of psychosis and may cause long-term neurological damage to the fetus. How can I be tested and prevented? If you are pregnant, you will be tested for Toxoplasma gondii by a “TORCH infection test”. This test usually involves testing for two serum antibodies: lgG and lgM. A positive lgG and negative lgM test: this means that the infection has been cured. In this case, the pregnant woman has some resistance to Toxoplasma gondii and will not be re-infected with Toxoplasma gondii and can continue to keep her pet. Negative lgG and positive lgM: This means that the pregnancy is now infected with Toxoplasma gondii and the infection period is usually three months. Treatment with spiramycin and sulfadiazine should be carried out first. Wait for three months and then check for antibodies. If lgM has turned negative, you can get pregnant. Both lgG and lgM are positive: This means that you have not been infected with Toxoplasma gondii and have no resistance to Toxoplasma gondii. At this time, if you are planning to get pregnant, it is best to avoid contact with pets because there is a high risk of contracting Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy. If you cannot stay away from cats and feline pets for various reasons, it is recommended that you go to the hospital for regular checkups before and throughout your pregnancy to ensure safety. There are several recommendations for this situation as follows: Cats should be domesticated, given safe food, given cat food or food cooked at home, no food of unknown origin, handle excrement carefully, be especially careful when handling cat excrement, and it is recommended to dispose of it promptly, preferably on the same day. It is best to wear gloves when handling, and even if you do not wear gloves, ensure that you wash your hands immediately after handling. Pay attention to the diet, do not allow the source of infection to contaminate the food, and always cook meat. The international view is that giving away a pet that has been kept for a long time can have a psychological impact on both the pet and the mother-to-be, and can easily cause emotional depression in pregnant women. Therefore, pre-pregnant mothers or mothers-to-be are allowed to keep pets as long as it is safe to do so.