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 or mild to severe infection in pregnant women, which results in severe congenital infection, abortion or fetal still birth. The aim of this study was to assess the risk factors and seroepidemiology of toxoplasmosis 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 first trimester. Demographic data and risk factors were collected using a questionnaire. Also, blood samples were taken from each subject to detect IgM and IgG antibodies by ELISA method. Data was entered into the 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%. No significant difference was seen in housewives and working women (p=0.221). No significant relation was seen 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 raw eggs consumption was significantly related to serpositivity (p=0.032). No significant correlation was seen between abortion and seropositivity (p=0.138), however, still birth had a significant correlation with seropositivity (p=0.049). Conclusions: According to the results, public education about toxoplasmosis transmission and lab testing before pregnancy may be effective in preventing congenital toxoplasmosis.