This sheet talks about exposure to or having toxoplasmosis in a pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. What is toxoplasmosis? Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. You can get it by eating infected meat that hasn’t been cooked properly, drinking water that is contaminated, or handling soil or cat feces that contain the parasite. Toxoplasma gondii can be …
The Baby Blog: Animals
Salmonella
This sheet talks about exposure to Salmonella in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. What is Salmonella? Salmonella is a bacteria. There are many different types of Salmonella bacteria that can cause anyone to get sick. People who have weakened immune systems, along with young children and older adults are more likely to get sick with a Salmonella infection. Symptoms of an infection can …
Eating Raw, Undercooked, or Cold Meats and Seafood
This sheet talks about the consumption of raw, undercooked, or cold meats and seafood in a pregnancy and while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. What are raw, undercooked, or cold meats and seafood? Raw meat or seafood is any meat or seafood product that has not been cooked at all. Undercooked meat or seafood has been partially cooked but has not been heated to the safe minimum internal temperature. Cold …
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV)
This sheet talks about exposure to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. This information should not take the place of medical care and advice from your healthcare provider. What is lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV)? How is it spread? LCMV is a virus that is carried by rodents and can be passed to humans. Infected rodents shed the virus in their nasal secretions, saliva, milk, semen, urine, and feces. Contact with rodent body fluids through …
“Spread Prevention, Not the Infection” during Pregnancy
By MotherToBaby’s Kirstie Perrotta, MPH, Lorrie Harris-Sagaribay, MPH, Robert Felix and Susan Sherman of the Organization of Teratology Information Specialists (OTIS) Zika Task Force “It’s 2018! I didn’t even know you could get syphilis nowadays!” Yes, I mentioned the stats about syphilis and other infections that can affect pregnancy to the caller who had contacted me through our free MotherToBaby helpline. I thought, this is a great time to educate her as well as others about a variety of …