title: Survey of obstetrician-gynecologists in the United States about toxoplasmosis: 2012 update.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Toxoplasmosis, caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, can have serious impacts on fetal development in the setting of acute maternal primary infection. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) sought to determine current knowledge, practices, opinions, and educational preferences regarding T. gondii infection in pregnancy among ACOG members practicing prenatal care.
  
  
  METHODS
  ACOG sent a survey to 1,056 members chosen by stratified random sampling from membership lists, including 370 participants and 686 non-participants in the Collaborative Ambulatory Research Network (CARN). Mailings were sent up to four times to nonresponders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Survey minimum response rates were 40.3% (CARN) and 19.7% (non-CARN); response rates adjusted for imputed non-eligibility were 59.7% (CARN) and 22.6% (non-CARN). Among providers, 80.2% had diagnosed no acute maternal T. gondii infections in the past 5 years, 12.7% correctly identified the screening role of the Toxoplasma avidity test, 42.6% performed serologic T. gondii screening for at least some asymptomatic pregnant women, and 62.1% of those who so did used appropriate approaches. Providers in the northeastern United States were 2.02 times more likely to routinely screen than those in the west (p = 0.025) and female providers were 1.48 times more likely than male providers (p = 0.047). The potential educational interventions considered useful by the most practitioners were updated ACOG guidelines on screening (81.4%) and management (71.7%) for acute T. gondii infection in pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ACOG members would benefit from educational efforts targeted at risk factor counseling and screening approaches.
authors.affiliation: Division of Global HIV/AIDS, HIV Prevention Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA, vic6@cdc.gov.
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Britta L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schulkin
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Jodi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanden Eng
authors.forename: Jeffrey L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009511:New England; D009774:Obstetrics; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011247:Pregnancy; D015597:Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D037841:Pregnant People; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D014481:United States