Why Pregnant Women Shouldn't Pet Cats: Doctors Answer - Myth or Not
Myths about pregnant women not being able to pet or hold cats have existed for a long time.
There is no scientific explanation, but cats may increase the risk of toxoplasma infection.
This disease in pregnant women can lead to the death of the fetus, damage to the eyes and nervous system of the child, writes the State Budgetary Institution of the Rostov Region “Regional Clinical Perinatal Center”.
Doctors say that every fifth Russian is a carrier of toxoplasma.
The parasite can enter the body through poorly cooked meat and animal products.
As doctors emphasize, domestic animals can be carriers of toxoplasma.
For example, toxoplasma forms cysts in the intestines of cats, which are excreted in feces.
In order for them to become active, they need to spend 2-3 days in a dark place at room temperature.
Therefore, experts advise cleaning the litter box more often and maintaining good hand hygiene.
Pregnant women are advised to leave litter box cleaning to others.
They should also wash their hands with soap every time after petting a cat.
