Lambing, farming, pregnancy

[SJP164]

Hey. I can see this thread has been done previously but I just thought I would see what other farmers wives are in same position atm?! I’m 9 weeks pregnant and we are just starting lambing! I’ve done all my research and as others have said midwives tend not to understand - mine was horrified when I said it was basically impossible for me not to go outside! Myself and family are taking all the precautions of hand washing, gels, disinfecting wellies, gloves etc.
Has anyone had a blood test for toxo? I also wondered about this because we vaccinate all our ewes against toxo and enzo.

Call GP and ask for screening (think you can get it at set intervals ie 2 weekly).

Just make sure good soap and water handwashing is being undertaken. My friend made her husband strip wellies and boilersuit and leave outside/ in the outhouse before coming in. Is there anyway you can make your husband and family do a mini strip before entering the house. sorry couldnt resist calling it a mini strip
Lol.

Sorry what do you mean by screening? Yes they are all aware not to come in house with leggings etc they are all left in the porch. All wellies are scrubbed down with fam 30 before coming into porch. They have washing facilities outside in the barn as well to minimise trips to the house to wash hands etc

We are dairy not sheep but if we did have sheep I'd just take as many precautions as possible, which it sounds like you are doing. Plenty of sheep farmers wives have been pregnant before without problems so I'd try not to worry too much.

I wish my husband would do a mini strip before bringing half the farm in with him whenever he comes into the house 😂

Congratulations!

Please be very very careful, toxic is not the only risk from sheep... Chlamydia is a massive risk too, and so is the fact a sheep could bash into you accidentally. Also your immune system is lower when pregnant so campylobacter can be a risk.

So happy for you, please be very careful... Baby is more important than work!

Speak to your midwife about blood testing for toxo, I had it done in my first pregnancy. If you already have antibodies then it's reassuring that you won't catch it for the first time in pregnancy (although obviously still have to be careful about other diseases). Despite the potential for lots of exposure in my job I was negative, then if there are any concerns in pregnancy and you test positive it will be known this is a new infection and appropriate measures taken.

If you've been farming for many years, chances are you've had toxo already anyway - the symptoms are very mild in healthy adults and often confused with a usual virus.

If you really want peace of mind, get the test.

I've been farming for years with sheep, and even through a toxo/enzo abortion storm a few years ago I still don't have any immunity to toxo so dont take that as a given.

If you are in a fairly rural area your midwives will hopefully be familiar with the need to blood test. Mine were fine about it and just added it in with the other screening tests at booking etc.

All you can do is take all the precautions above. Good hand washing etc is a must, DP had to load his own washing into the washing machine etc (although that's the rule here anyway regardless of pregnancy ) You will probably find you are hyper aware anyway.

I agree with Scrowy most people I know in my line of work that have been tested foe toxo antibodies have come back negative despite a seemingly high risk of being exposed.

...which if you are negative hopefully means you are very unlikely to be infected now, especially taking lots of sense precautions.