Did you know that pregnant women are not supposed to change cat litter? Cat feces poses a serious health risk to pregnant women. Read on to learn more.
Dr. Morice is a skilled tubal reversal surgeon. He provides low-cost tubal reversal surgery to hundreds of women each year. Due to his high tubal reversal success rates, Dr. Morice has a busy prenatal practice when he’s not performing surgery
One fact that many pregnant women are not aware of is the danger that changing cat litter can pose to both themselves and their baby.
Why is changing cat litter bad?
The danger in cat litter is toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection that cats can pass to humans via their feces. In normal adults, toxoplasmosis causes flu-like symptoms and passes on its own. In pregnant women who contract it for the first time, however, toxoplasmosis can infect the fetus and cause serious birth defects. Defects include eye damage, brain damage, and even miscarriage. Toxoplasmosis can affect your baby even if you contract it up to 3 months before conception, so it’s important to be weary of this parasite at all times.
How else can I contract toxoplasmosis?
Toxoplasmosis can also be contracted by eating undercooked meat, gardening, eating contaminated unwashed fruits and vegetables, and unpasteurized goat’s milk. It’s important to also realize that while toxoplasmosis can be in the kitty litter, it can also be on the cat’s paws because the cat walks in the litter. Therefore, it’s important to limit contact with cats as possible.
How can I limit my chances of contracting toxoplasmosis?
● Stay away from the litter box. This is a great excuse to get out of changing the cat litter. If you don’t have anyone to do it for you, however, be sure to wear gloves while doing it and wash your hands thoroughly after the job is done.
● Instruct the litter box cleaner to change the litter daily. Toxoplasmosis needs some time to incubate before becoming transmissible. It has been estimated that it needs 24 hours in the litter. Therefore, changing the cat’s litter every day can help prevent the spread of the parasite. Filling the litter box with boiling water for 5 minutes every day is also suggested to kill any trace of the organism.
● Avoid sick cats. Sick cats can be harboring the parasite. Steer clear.
● Wash your hands thoroughly after playing with or petting a cat. Germs can be spread in many ways. It’s best to wash your hands after any encounter with a cat to prevent sharing of germs.
● Wear gloves while gardening or handling soil. Even if you don’t have a cat, there may be a neighborhood cat that has found your garden to be a great spot to make their mark. Be sure to wear gloves while gardening to ensure your skin doesn’t come in contact with any cat feces. Wash your hands thoroughly after gardening.
What if I’ve been exposed to toxoplasmosis before?
If you have already been exposed to toxoplasmosis, your immunity is built up and you don’t need to worry as much about contracting it while pregnant. You can ask Dr. Morice to order a blood test that will check to see whether or not you’ve been exposed to it before.
Dr. Morice provides excellent prenatal care in Morgan City, LA. Visit us at the state-of-the-art Atchafalaya Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic for your prenatal care. Call us at (985) 702-BABY or email us at drmorice@mybabydoc.com to schedule an appointment today!
Did you know that pregnant women are not supposed to change cat litter? Cat feces poses a serious health risk to pregnant women. Read on to learn more.
Dr. Morice is a skilled tubal reversal surgeon. He provides low-cost tubal reversal surgery to hundreds of women each year. Due to his high tubal reversal success rates, Dr. Morice has a busy prenatal practice when he’s not performing surgery.
One fact that many pregnant women are not aware of is the danger that changing cat litter can pose to both themselves and their baby.
Why is changing cat litter bad?
The danger in cat litter is toxoplasmosis, a parasitic infection that cats can pass to humans via their feces. In normal adults, toxoplasmosis causes flu-like symptoms and passes on its own. In pregnant women who contract it for the first time, however, toxoplasmosis can infect the fetus and cause serious birth defects. Defects include eye damage, brain damage, and even miscarriage. Toxoplasmosis can affect your baby even if you contract it up to 3 months before conception, so it’s important to be weary of this parasite at all times.
How else can I contract toxoplasmosis?
Toxoplasmosis can also be contracted by eating undercooked meat, gardening, eating contaminated unwashed fruits and vegetables, and unpasteurized goat’s milk. It’s important to also realize that while toxoplasmosis can be in the kitty litter, it can also be on the cat’s paws because the cat walks in the litter. Therefore, it’s important to limit contact with cats as possible.
How can I limit my chances of contracting toxoplasmosis?
● Stay away from the litter box. This is a great excuse to get out of changing the cat litter. If you don’t have anyone to do it for you, however, be sure to wear gloves while doing it and wash your hands thoroughly after the job is done.
● Instruct the litter box cleaner to change the litter daily. Toxoplasmosis needs some time to incubate before becoming transmissible. It has been estimated that it needs 24 hours in the litter. Therefore, changing the cat’s litter every day can help prevent the spread of the parasite. Filling the litter box with boiling water for 5 minutes every day is also suggested to kill any trace of the organism.
● Avoid sick cats. Sick cats can be harboring the parasite. Steer clear.
● Wash your hands thoroughly after playing with or petting a cat. Germs can be spread in many ways. It’s best to wash your hands after any encounter with a cat to prevent sharing of germs.
● Wear gloves while gardening or handling soil. Even if you don’t have a cat, there may be a neighborhood cat that has found your garden to be a great spot to make their mark. Be sure to wear gloves while gardening to ensure your skin doesn’t come in contact with any cat feces. Wash your hands thoroughly after gardening.
What if I’ve been exposed to toxoplasmosis before?
If you have already been exposed to toxoplasmosis, your immunity is built up and you don’t need to worry as much about contracting it while pregnant. You can ask Dr. Morice to order a blood test that will check to see whether or not you’ve been exposed to it before.
Dr. Morice provides excellent prenatal care in Morgan City, LA. Visit us at the state-of-the-art Atchafalaya Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic for your prenatal care. Call us at (985) 702-BABY or email us at drmorice@mybabydoc.com to schedule an appointment today!
