Makiko Sakikawa

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis caused by infection withToxoplasma gondiiand is prevalent worldwide under various climatic conditions. It is usually asymptomatic, but infection in pregnant women can pose serious health problems for the fetus. However, epidemiological information regarding toxoplasmosis in Japanese pregnant women is limited. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of anti-Toxoplasmaantibodies, the primary infection rate, and the risk factors for toxoplasmosis in Japanese pregnant women. We measured anti-Toxoplasmaantibody titers in 4,466 pregnant women over a period of 7.5 years and simultaneously conducted interviews to identify the risk factors for toxoplasmosis. The overall prevalence of anti-Toxoplasmaantibodies was 10.3%, and it was significantly higher in women aged above 35 years. The rate of primaryToxoplasmainfection during pregnancy was estimated to be 0.25%. A possibility of infection in the later stages of pregnancy was identified for those women who were not infected in the early stages. A history of raw meat intake was identified to be a risk factor related to toxoplasmosis. Therefore, to lower the risk of toxoplasmosis, pregnant women should refrain from eating raw and undercooked meat and maintain personal hygiene.

We studied the clinical management and prognosis of pregnant women with a history of abruption, as well as the associated risk factors. We reviewed the cases of 23 patients with a history of abruption and 66 patients with abruption. The recurrence rate of abruption was 4.3%. Intentional care prolonged gestational age in most patients. Although the incidence of abruption was low (0.44%), the consequences could be perinatal death and maternal disseminated vascular coagulation (DIC). To prevent abruption recurrence, careful monitoring during hospitalization is important. Both clinical findings and transabdominal echography are useful in diagnosing abruption.