Talk

Flip

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Pregnancy

Toxo panic post camping weekend... should I call the Docs?

2 replies

jamama · 08/08/2011 10:16

I spent this weekend just gone camping in a field which had a lot of animal muck in it, and some tufts of wool. I have spent the whole night thinking about the risk of sheep faeces and toxoplasmosis. I am currently 27+3 weeks.
I washed my hands quite a bit, but nowhere near as much I as I would in a normal day at home. I have this horrible lack of memory of washing my hands between packing up the tent and eating a nectarine/having a glass of juice.
I feel as fine as it is possible to feel after a weekend camping at 27 weeks with SPD, followed by a night at home fretting about toxo, so the question is, should I call my GP or MAU and pester them about this, or am I being silly?

OP posts:

Report

icravecheese · 08/08/2011 10:33

I'm pretty certain that you won't get toxo from cow pats or sheep poo. It can be present it cat poo if the cat has caught toxoplasmosis, and I believe it can be found on newborn lambs (hence no lambing when preg), but I really don't think you'd catch it in a field camping (gold star for going camping at 27wks BTW!!).

They tell farmers wives to avoid washing their hubby's clothing after they've been lambing, but no similar advice for when they've been out in the fields dealing with cows or sheep, so I don't think there is any risk there....

I have an unhealthy paranoia about toxo and ask to be tested for it each pregnancy - I've never caught it (touch wood, 31wks preg with 3rd!), so have no immunity, which amazes me as I grew up with cats & eat alot of cured / rare cuts of meat when not preg. Easy to say, but do try not to worry...there have been vets posting on here who have diagnosed cats with toxo & still never caught it themselves!

Report

jamama · 08/08/2011 13:51

Thanks icrave, think I will try & calm down, although my first instinct is to rush off to the GP and demand that they test me (even tho' this would only find out if I've been infected in the past). I too grew up with cats, so who knows whether or not I've had it before.
The 27 wks camping experience otherwise was not a particular joy, especially given the airbed failure on Fri night/Sat am, leading to me using my pillow (brought along because of the SPD) as a mini-mattress for a few hours of dreadful sleep until Argos opened and DH could rush off and get a replacement.