Just got pregnant - terrified about toxoplasmosis

[eccentrica]

Hi ladies

I've just found out that I'm pregnant - positive test yesterday. Very early days yet, I'm only 4 wks gone. very happy with the news, especially as it's the first month of ttc.

However, am having a bit of a bad time about toxoplasmosis. (I remember spending most of my first pregnancy terrified about one thing or another which I was sure I had inflicted on my unborn baby - had forgotten what it's like!)

The reason I'm so worried is we moved house 6 wks ago & we have a garden for the first time. I have spent most of the past month in the garden with my DD, have used gloves most of the time but there have been a few occasions where it's been too awkward & i have done it with bare hands. On one occasion it was really difficult to get all the dirt out from under my fingernails and I then ate/drank with hands that were not 100% clean

On some level I wasn't really expecting to get pregnant so I wasn't that careful about risks - absolutely furious with myself now for taking the risk especially when I knew it was a bad idea. Have been googling toxoplasmosis since last night and feel sick with worry.

Has anyone had a similar experience, any advice? Should I try to get blood-tested? How can I stop worrying myself sick and be happy about this (wanted and planned) pregnancy?

Thanks to anyone who can help x

Hi all

Thought I'd update this thread as I have now seen the GP a second time. They will not give me the blood tests on the NHS.

They said this is because the tests are expensive, the risk is very low and because I'm not symptomatic - not sure how relevant that is, as apparently 90% of cases are asymptomatic

The GP, who I've only met the first time this week, was pretty unsympathetic tbh. She said she could see how anxious I was, and also could see from my records that I don't have a history of 'making a fuss' about things, but also said it wasn't the NHS's job to deal with my anxiety.

She said my only option was to have the tests privately, but that she didn't recommend this, as if they were needed the NHS would do them. She also said that the GP wouldn't even help me to interpret the blood test results if they were done privately.

We have found a place that will do the tests privately for £50 (and we'd need to have them done twice, so £100) but I'm leaning towards thinking that I should take on board the NHS advice and try to draw a line under my worry about this, and move on. It would save me £100, 3 or 4 trips to Harley St and a lot of anxiety waiting for results (I think).

Have been feeling a little better this week, but still have thoughts going round in circles...