ASSESSMENT OF PREGNANT WOMENS KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE TO PREVENT TOXOPLASMOSIS INFECTION IN MALLAWY CITY MINIA GOVERNORATE

Background:- Toxoplasma gondii is a congenital infectious agent which causes severe clinical outcomes in fetus and newborns. The life-threatening parasitic disease is preventable by measures related to lifestyle during pregnancy. The aim of the study: is to assess the knowledge about toxoplasmosis and practices that can prevent it among the pregnant women. Methods: Total of 200 pregnant women from Mallawy city Minia governorate were included in the study to determine their knowledge and practices on Toxoplasma infection. A questionnaire to evaluate general information and knowledge on risks factors, time of infection, symptoms, prevention knowledge and behavior regarding Toxoplasmosis. Results:- Mainstream of these pregnant women were in their age group of 20?29 years (50.9%), completed secondary level of education (51.7%), in their second trimester of pregnancies (38.1%), non-parous (36.6%), and had no history of abortion (90.4%). According to this study, only 11% of these pregnant women had read, heard, or seen information regarding toxoplasmosis and 3.5% of them were aware of being tested for the infection. A small percentage of these pregnant women knew that T. gondii were shed in the feces of infected cats (19.4%) and sometimes found in the raw or undercooked meat (11. 0%). There was 16.1% of pregnant women included in this study knew that toxoplasmosis is caused by an infection. Conclusion:- Demographic characteristics such as age group, level of education, pregnancy term, and a number of children of the pregnant women showed significant association with their responses toward questions related to prevention knowledge and behavior. Health education on Toxoplasma infection and preventive practices should be presented to reproductive age women and pregnant women. This information could help to reduce the transmission of Toxoplasma gondii infection during pregnancy