title: Sushi in pregnancy, parasitic diseases - obstetrician survey.
abstract: Parasites from raw fish can lead to a wide range of clinical manifestations and can be challenging to treat in pregnancy as result of medication exposure of the foetus. We surveyed obstetrician-gynecologists (ob-gyns) in the U.S. to determine their knowledge about the consumption of raw fish during pregnancy. In March 2007, a questionnaire was mailed to members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) randomly selected to represent all members. Non-responding physicians were sent two additional mailings. Of the 606 ACOG members surveyed, 305 (50%) responded. Most (82%) respondents indicated that eating raw fish is not safe during pregnancy. However, few (19%) knew that thorough freezing kills parasites in fish. Nearly all (94%) respondents thought that parasitic infections can be more challenging to treat in pregnancy. U.S. ob-gyns believe that eating raw fish during pregnancy is not safe; most would benefit from information about how to prevent infection and about treatment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitic Diseases, National Center for Zoonotic, Vectorborne and Enteric Diseases, Coordinating Center for Infectious Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA. jlj1@cdc.gov
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schulkin
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Parise
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Eberhard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003257:Consumer Product Safety; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods; D016266:Food Parasitology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009774:Obstetrics; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000517:prevention & control; D012307:Risk Factors; D017747:Seafood / Q000469:parasitology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States