cured meats and salami????

[Fabmummy]

I am 8wks and just back from a weekend in Madrid where without thinking I ate some Spanish ham(cured type) and salami so am now panicking about toxoplasmosis.

just wondered if anyone else has done anything like this.

I think it's Listeria that your thinking of.

I'm quite sure it will be fine.

toxoplasmosis is very rare you know.

wouldn't panic too much if I were you - Listeria is very rare and toxoplasmosis you get from raw or undercooked meate etc, I think - hams and salamis are smoked or cured - none of this is recommended when preggers and you probably shouldn't eat it again, but I am sure you will be fine. Also, I was told that in Italy, proscuitto ( which is raw cured ham) is often recommended as a morning sickness cure, so ~I guess if you lived there, you would be fine!!

I'm new to the boards but am really glad you posted this query as I am also really worried about toxoplasmosis. I am 10 weeks pregnant and a couple of weeks ago, I had some lamb at a family meal (we hadn't announced the pregnancy yet so it was difficult to refuse it). It was a bit on the pink side (although not oozing blood or anything) and I have since read that pregnant women shouldn't eat meat with any pink bits due to the risk of toxoplasmosis. I am now really scared that I may have contracted the infection. I would be really grateful for any reassurance anyone can give as it is overshadowing my pregnancy at the moment and I may just be being paranoid.

Actually, you can get toxoplasmosis from cured meat. see \link{http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/321/7254/142\this study}

However, just think about the amount of uncooed meat you have eaten in your life and that should give you an idea of the risk we're talking about. I love rare steak and cured ham and I have never contracted toxoplasmosis (they test you for it as standard in spain). If you have contracted it before then you're immune anyway.

A friend of mine was really worried about it, but her very well respected and experienced gynaecologist told her that he had never ever seen a case of a baby being deformed due to toxoplasmosis in pregnancy in his 30 yrs of practice.

Elizabeth - you should avoid all undercooked meat, including cured meat. but there's no point in worrying about meat you've already eaten.

thanks for the messages. Will try to calm down about it a bit and avoid eating it in the future.

Elizabeth19 I have looked on the web about it and you can get a blood test done if you want. They say 3wks after possible exposure to see if there are any antibodies. I am going to have a chat with my GP about it.

Hi Fabmummy - do you by any chance have cats or have had in the past? If yes, then the chances are that you have already had toxoplasmosis and you are immune. I really wouldn't worry - it's all to do with risk and how many times have you got sick from cured meats in the past?

thanks morningnewspaper, yes I grew up with a cat and having been eating cured meats and salamis for years and years.
Spoke to my gp who was really understanding about me being anxious and I am gettting a blood test done today and maybe another in a couple of weeks to find out for sure. It seems they can tell from the type of antibodies when you developed an infection so whether it was before the pregnancy started or not.

yes that's right - antibodies turn from one type to another over a period of time, which is how they work out if and when you were exposed to Toxoplasmosis. I am sure it will all be absolutely fine and I must say, I am very impressed that you are able to get the blood tests. Rock on!

Thanks for all the messages/advice - I feel a bit better now and will talk
to my GP about the blood test. I also e-mailed Tommys (the baby website) and
had a message back from a midwife who advised that Toxoplasmosis is rare and
eating undercooked/cured meat once in pregnancy would only give a remote
possibility of contracting the infection. It's good to be able to share
these worries on this site though!