New Kitten, Wife is Pregnant, Health Concerns?

On 11/21/15, a 5 week stray kitten showed up in our driveway.  We fell in love with the kitten and decided to take it into our home.

Anyway, this past weekend, my wife and I found out that she is pregnant from a HPT.  We're excited, but are there any health concerns between our kitten and my pregnant wife?  We've been taking the kitten to the vet ever since we found him and he has been strictly inside since we've adopted him.  The 2 concerns that I have are:  toxoplasmosis and round worm.

Toxoplasmosis - ever since we've adopted the kitty, my wife scooped the kitty litter every couple of days.  I've never heard of toxoplasmosis until 2 days ago, and since then, I have been scooping the kitty litter daily.  What are the odds that my wife contracted toxoplasmosis from scooping out the kitty litter over the last few months?  I think we're going to have our kitten tested next week when we go back to the vet to give us a piece of mind, but it has me concerned in the meantime since it can cause devastating effects to the baby.

Round Worm - last week when we went to the vet, we were told that our kitten has round worms.  Can humans contract these parasites, and should we be concerned on the effect it may have on my wife and baby?  Since we didn't know that my wife was pregnant last week, we didn't think about this question, but it is something that I am concerned about and I will also ask the vet this next week as well.

In the meantime, I will be scooping out the kitty litter everyday.  Thanks!

I think you should ask her OB/GYN.  Maybe there is a test for this.

Yes, we will.  We haven't even been to the doctor yet or scheduled an appointment since it's been so recent.  We'll certainly ask the vet as well.  I am trying to get a peace of mind.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a parasite found in cat feces. However, it can also be found in raw or undercooked meat. Not everyone who is infected will present symptoms, but when they do appear, symptoms are similar to the flu: fever, muscle aches, fatigue and swollen lymph glands. A simple blood test can determine if you are infected. Personally, since your kitten has been vetted and treated for worms and parasites, I would opt for your wife being tested at this point. That would rule out whether or not she has the parasite and it would be covered under her insurance (where the test for the kitten would be out-of-pocket).

Roundworms would have to be ingested. If your wife was to contrract roundworms, she would most likely endure some uncomforable symptoms (most likely mild abdominal pain, nausea & vomiting,diarrhea, and the possible visual presence of worms and/or blood in her stool), but they usually don't post a threat to the unborn baby. There are medications to treat roundworms, and there has been no 'firm evidence' to suggest they can cause birth defects; however, they are NOT recommended during pregnancy. 

There are myriad parasites and other things that can be contracted whether someone is pregnant or not and, believe it or not, they don't all come from cats! LOL  Any animal can transmit a number of germs, bugs and 'things', but if we, as responsible pet owners, keep our animals vetted and treated, use common sense, and practice good hygiene, the probability of 'catching' something is really uncommon. WASH YOUR HANDS! And don't rely on those worthless alcohol-based hand santitizers - use soap and warm water and thoroughly wash and rinse your hands. Disinfect your food prep area and cook your food completely. Also, wash your fruits and vegetables!  I am well beyond my fertile years and I wash ALL my fruits and vegetables whether I peel them or not. Do you have ANY idea what all contaminants are on them when you bring them home? Next time you are in the produce department, stand back and watch who all handles your fruits and vegetables and you will think twice about washing them well before eating them. 

Don't get paranoid or freak out. Talk with your OB/GYN first and see what s/he has to say about it. And, Thanks, Daddy for scooping the poop! Now, go wash your hands and give Mommy a reassuring hug. 

There is a test the woman can do. If she contracted toxoplasmosis before she got pregnant (and most people have), there's no concern---it's only if she is exposed to it for the first time while pregnant that it causes problems. If she has never been exposed, I'm pretty sure the kitten can be tested for exposure, and if he's never been exposed, if he never goes outside he really should never come into contact with it.

But it sure wouldn't hurt if you took over litterbox duties while she's pregnant!

I don't think roundworm poses any particular risk to a pregnant woman or the unborn baby, but of course you don't want to get it anyway, eww. Ask your vet about the best de-worming schedule.

Congratulations on the new kitten and the pregnancy!

Has your wife had cats before? If this isn't her first cat and she has been responsible for litter box duties in the past, she's probably been exposed as Willowy mentioned, and everything will be fine.

It's great that you are taking care of the litter box duties now and through the pregnancy !

When you get your first OB appointment you can still discuss your concerns with the doc and they can add that into their screening panel.

Try not to worry too much and enjoy the new kitty and the pregnancy!

You can google these questions, but what you will read is in fact these can be contracted, however what they don't tell you is how unusual/rare it really is.

They will also tell you the chances of surviving a plane crash are basically nil, but what are the chances of that happening in our lifetime?

Just saying as an example.

Don't stress on it, just be the pooper scooper during pregnancy and all will be fine

Thank you for the comments.  It is definitely reassuring.  I just spoke to the vet as well (about his respiratory infection) and asked her these same questions.  She didn't seem concerned and just recommended that I scoop the litter box and that my wife washes her hands frequently.  She said other than those two recommendations, there is virtually no risk.

What did she do about the round word?

The vet started/continued the deworming process with medicine.  We're going back to the vet next Tuesday for a checkup on his upper respiratory infection and to continue his vaccines.  I still have questions about Toxoplasmosis for the vet and we hope to get the kitten tested for the parasite; if nothing else, for a peace of mind.

Sounds like you have it all under control.  So, for now, just be a hero and take over the box duties.  Toxoplasmosis aside, she really doesn't need to be bending down with her head in an ammonia funk anyway. It can make for an icky tummy at a time when icky tummies are rampant.  Says the woman who was knee-deep in litter boxes before Toxoplasmosis became an issue, and with no hero in sight!

I don't think you have too much to worry about; but its always good to be diligent when it comes to pregnancy and infants.  Generally the first prenatal visit is around 8 weeks and includes a large blood panel.  Based on my own experiences I'm assuming your wife is about 5-6 weeks along; so I'd ask when she calls to schedule her first appointment.  

My own vet was pregnant when I had one of my girls in there a few years ago.  So it's likely the risks are slim as long as you practice good hygiene.  We had a LitterMaid box when I was pregnant with both kids; so DH did the litter box duties as part of his normal trash-taking-out duties.  Eventually bending becomes difficult to painful anyway. 

Congratulations on the pregnancy! 

I do not know about round worm, but I am pretty confident that if You, instead of your wife take care of the litter box things will be fine. Many pregnant women have cats and have healthy pregnancies. Just do not have your wife touch the litter or poop or pee. The baby will be fine.

I think her obstretician is the one to ask about the too. I worked with high risk pregnancy doctors ...it is a routine question that even a regular OB can answer.. 

I used to do ultrasound of complicated pregnancies (exclusively) ; so I have somewhat of an idea of toxo...Have dealt with it several  times,  in ultrasound.  If you are still concerned, then ask for periodic ultrasounds to be done--for peace of mind. That is done all the time. 

I would like to thank you for being so concerned.. that is a sweet thing...you must be a special guy...