Testing for toxoplasmosis in pregnancy: a study of the routines in primary antenatal care.
OBJECTIVE
The question of benefit of screening for antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii in pregnancy to prevent impairment in the infant has not been settled. Despite this, it is believed that such testing is common. The aim of this study was to describe the test routines and to identify factors associated with testing in primary antenatal care.


METHODS
Ulleval University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.


METHODS
All women who gave birth at Ulleval University Hospital, Oslo, Norway, in May 2000 were included. The number of antibody tests during pregnancy was obtained from the patient registry at the department of microbiology at the same hospital.


RESULTS
81% (361/446) had been tested for antibodies against Toxoplasma gondii during pregnancy. Women attending primary antenatal care at a specialist in obstetrics and gynaecology were most likely to be tested. Among women with no signs of prior toxoplasmosis, 35% (110/317) were tested only once.


CONCLUSIONS
The majority of pregnant women are being tested for toxoplasmosis even though such testing has no documented preventive effect and has not been recommended.
Eskild
Anne
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ulleval University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Fallås Dahl
Gunn
G
Melby
Kjetil K
KK
Nesheim
Britt-Ingjerd
BI
D000328:Adult; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000453:epidemiology*