Rochester, Minnesota – Mayo Clinic identifies some health effects of cats on pregnant women and their unborn child.
Women who are pregnant oftentimes need to visit urgent care clinics, ensuring their condition as well as their unborn child. Pregnancy is a delicate stage, considering good and bad factors that could affect both the mother and fetus.
During pregnancy, women may be prone to Toxoplasmosis. It is a disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii (T gondii) parasite. Considered as one of the most common parasites worldwide, is mostly found in birds and animals such as domestic felines.
Single-celled parasitic organism, the Toxoplasma gondii infects animals and reproduces only in felines, both wild and domestic. Cats are the organism’s ultimate hosts. Thus, the health effects of cats come into play, although such parasites could also be caused by contaminated water or food, utensils, raw meat, unwashed fruits or vegetables, and unpasteurized dairy products.
People infected by T gondii need urgent care and treatment, especially the pregnant women, considering the welfare of their unborn child. The parasitic organisms tend to form cysts in any body part, but commonly in the heart, muscles, and brain.
People who are generally could keep those parasites in check through their efficient immune system. However, those with weak resistance and immunity could be infected, allowing the parasites to reactivate. If so, an urgent care near me facility is necessary since Toxoplasmosis could lead to serious health problems.
The health effects of cats come into play when pregnant women come in contact with infected cats. The animal can pass the infection without signs and symptoms. Women who are infected by the parasites themselves could pass the infection to their unborn child, called congenital toxoplasmosis.
Babies are at the highest risk of the infection during the third trimester of pregnancy, while least risky on the first trimester. Women who are infected early in their pregnancy result to serious complications for the baby, causing miscarriage or stillbirth. If babies survive, they may experience seizures, severe eye infections, enlarged spleen and liver, or jaundice. A visit to an urgent care clinic is necessary.
Cat owners are the most prone to T gondii infection, as they come in contact with the animal and its feces that may contain parasites. Accidental ingestion of the organism is high during litter box cleaning and similar activities. Individuals, especially pregnant women must protect themselves from toxoplasmosis, eliminating the serious health effects of cats and T gondii infection to the unborn child.
