What NOT to Do While Pregnant. . .Part 1

Congratulations! You are pregnant!

Most women either already know, or receive a great deal of information of the things they should do to maintain a healthy pregnancy and help their baby grow

Image by Ivan Makarov via Flickr

well and healthy, too.

Today we will be looking at some of the things to avoid while pregnant. Some of these may seem obvious, but I have learned in 30+ years of obstetrics, some patients will think it everything is OK that has not been specifically spelled out as harmful to them or their baby.

We begin by looking at external things to avoid. The first thing we will look at is Pets.

DOGS

If this is your first baby, your dog has probably been treated like the baby in the house. Now is the time to encourage other family members to develop a close relationship with your pet. If you plan to deliver in a hospital or birthing center, another family member will need to care for your pet until you come home.

If your pet is in the habit of jumping on your tummy or sleeping in your lap, you will want to use the time of early pregnancy in changing these habits.

If your dog still bites or nips, you will need to be very active in changing this behavior as you would not want your dog to bite or nip the baby.

Before your new baby comes home, be sure your dog is up to date on all vaccinations and has had a check-up from the veterinarian.

CATS

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All of the issues with dogs apply to cats as well, but they present other problems for the pregnant woman.

Cats can transmit the parasite Toxplasma gondii through their feces, causing toxoplasmosis. This can occur when the pregnant woman changes the cat's litter box. You can also get toxoplasmosis by touching dirt where cats might have been, such as garden soil. You can also get it from eating undercooked meat, especially pork, lamb or deer meat. This illness can cause serious complications in pregnancy, such as birth defects or miscarriage, although many people who get toxoplasmosis never develop any symptoms.

If a pregnant woman becomes infected with toxoplasmosis for the first time just before or during pregnancy, she has a 50% chance of passing the illness to her baby.

Symptoms include:

• Muscle aches
• Swollen glands
• Flu-like symptoms (fever,fatigue, sore throat)

To reduce your chances of getting toxoplasmosis:

• Ask a non-pregnant family member to clean out the litter box every day

  Image via Wikipedia

• Keep your cat indoors.
• Stay away from stray cats.
• Wash your hands thoroughly with running water and soap after coming in contact with cat’s stool or after gardening.
• Cover the children’s sandbox to stop cats from using it as a litter box.
• Avoiding undercooked mea, use a meat thermometer to guarantee doneness.
• Thoroughly wash kitchen utensils and counters.

RODENTS

Some people have hamsters, guinea pigs and mice as pets. These pets can carry a virus called lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV). People become infected with this virus through contact with the rodent's urine, blood, saliva, droppings or nesting materials. Even breathing the dust or

Image via Wikipedia

droplets that have been generated by cleaning out the cage can spread this virus. Pregnant women who become infected can pass this infection to their unborn baby. LCMV can cause sever birth defects or loss of pregnancy.

LCMV symptoms include:

• Fever
• Headache
• Neck stiffness
• Fatigue
• Lack of appetite
• Muscle aches
• Nausea
• Vomiting
  

You can lower your chances of getting LCMV by:

• Keeping pet rodents in a separate part of the home
• Asking another family member to care for the pet and clean its cage
• Washing hands with soap and water after handling pet rodents
• Keeping rodent cages clean and free of soiled bedding
• Having the cage cleaned in a well-ventilated area or outside
• Keeping pet rodents away from your face
• Avoiding contact with wild rodents
• If a house has rats or mice, taking care of the problem quickly with either mouse traps or calling a professional pest control company.
  

Talk to your health care provide before using any chemicals in your home, especially those designed for pest control.

REPTILES AND EXOTIC PETS

Lizards, snakes and turtles also present the risks for infection to the pregnant woman. These animals can carry salmonella. This is a bacteria which comes from food sources, such as poultry,

Image by hyakuhei via Flickr

meat and eggs, but is also linked to reptiles.

A reptile can test negative for salmonella, but still be infected with the bacteria. It could mean that the animal was not shedding salmonella on the day it was tested. When cared for by pregnant women, all reptiles should be considered to be infected. Children under the age of five and pregnant women are especially at risk for salmonella.

Salmonella symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pains
• Diarrhea
• Fever
• Chills
• Muscle aches

You can decrease your risk of getting salmonella by:

• Staying away from reptiles.
  
• Washing hands with soap and water after coming in contact with reptiles or animal stool.
• Keeping reptiles out of the kitchen and other food preparation areas, including sinks.
• Cleaning surfaces that have been touched by reptiles.
• Avoiding undercooked food.

Remember that even though some of these changes with our pets may be inconvenient or even difficult for us, a healthy mother and healthy baby are the goals for which we are striving. The medications that can be given to a pregnant woman are limited and she is much more likely to become dehydrated than a non-pregnant person. Take every measure possible to keep yourself, and your baby, healthy.

Next time we will look at substances to avoid while pregnant.