SOGC CLINICAL PRACTICE GUIDELINE
Toxoplasmosis in Pregnancy: Prevention, Screening, and Treatment

https://doi.org/10.1016/S1701-2163(15)31053-7Get rights and content

Abstract

Background

One of the major consequences of pregnant women becoming infected by Toxoplasma gondii is vertical transmission to the fetus. Although rare, congenital toxoplasmosis can cause severe neurological or ocular disease (leading to blindness), as well as cardiac and cerebral anomalies. Prenatal care must include education about prevention of toxoplasmosis. The low prevalence of the disease in the Canadian population and limitations in diagnosis and therapy limit the effectiveness of screening strategies. Therefore, routine screening is not currently recommended.

Objective

To review the prevention, diagnosis, and management of toxoplasmosis in pregnancy.

Outcomes

Outcomes evaluated include the effect of screening on diagnosis of congenital toxoplasmosis and the efficacy of prophylaxis and treatment.

Evidence

The Cochrane Library and Medline were searched for articles published in English from 1990 to the present related to toxoplasmosis and pregnancy. Additional articles were identified through references of these articles.

Values

The quality of evidence is rated and recommendations made according to guidelines developed by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (Table).

Benefits, harms, and costs

Guideline implementation should assist the practitioner in developing an approach to screening for and treatment of toxoplasmosis in pregnancy. Patients will benefit from appropriate management of this condition.

Sponsor

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

Section snippets

Recommendations

  • 1.

    Routine universal screening should not be performed for pregnant women at low risk. Serologic screening should be offered only to pregnant women considered to be at risk for primary Toxoplasma gondii infection. (II-3E)

  • 2.

    Suspected recent infection in a pregnant woman should be confirmed before intervention by having samples tested at a toxoplasmosis reference laboratory, using tests that are as accurate as possible and correctly interpreted. (II-2B)

  • 3.

    If acute infection is suspected, repeat testing

References (0)

Cited by (133)

  • Genetic polymorphism of IL-17A (rs2275913) in Iraqi women with recurrent abortion and its relationship with susceptibility to toxoplasmosis

    2021, Meta Gene
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    Toxoplasmosis is one of the most prevalent causes of abortion and congenital aberrations in infected women (Paquet et al., 2013).

  • Ultrasound diagnosis of infections in pregnancy

    2021, European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology
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This clinical practice guideline has been prepared by the Infectious Disease Committee, reviewed by the Family Practice Advisory Committee and the Maternal Fetal Medicine Committee, and approved by the Executive and Council of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada.

Disclosure statements have been received from all members of the committee.

This document reflects emerging clinical and scientific advances on the date issued and is subject to change. The information should not be construed as dictating an exclusive course of treatment or procedure to be followed. Local institutions can dictate amendments to these opinions. They should be well documented if modified at the local level. None of these contents may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of the SOGC.

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