Seroepidemiology and risk factors of Toxoplasmosis in the first trimester among pregnant women

Introduction: The symptoms of infections caused by Toxoplasma gondii range from asymptomatic ormild to severe infection in pregnant women, which results in severe congenital infection, abortion orfetal still birth. The aim of this study was to assess the risk factors and seroepidemiology oftoxoplasmosis in pregnant women in their first trimester in Bandar Abbas.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 600 pregnant women who were in their firsttrimester. Demographic data and risk factors were collected using a questionnaire. Also, blood sampleswere taken from each subject to detect IgM and IgG antibodies by ELISA method. Data was entered intothe SPSS 16 software and descriptive statistics, chi-square and t- test were used for analysis.Results: The mean age of the participants was 26.7± 5.89 years. IgG seropositivity was 41.93%. Nosignificant difference was seen in housewives and working women (p=0.221). No significant relation wasseen between seropositivity and parity (p=0.06). No significant relation was seen between gardening,owning a cat and consumption of raw or undercooked meat and seropsitivity (p> 0.05), and only raweggs consumption was significantly related to serpositivity (p=0.032). No significant correlation was seenbetween abortion and seropositivity (p=0.138), however, still birth had a significant correlation withseropositivity (p=0.049).Conclusions: According to the results, public education about toxoplasmosis transmission and labtesting before pregnancy may be effective in preventing congenital toxoplasmosis.

Keywords:

Toxoplasmosis , Pregnancy , First Trimester