miscarriages?

This isn't a recent "discovery" and you can do internet research if you like but it's a pretty well known fact and has been for some time.

The bug itself isn't called toxoplasmosis - cat faeces can carry a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis (perhaps a good word to google if you want to scour the net for facts/corroboration - which you will find a ton of). It isn't particularly dangerous for the mothers but very dangerous to unborn babies.

Other animals can also carry TP and it can also be found in raw or insufficiently cooked meat products, and in certain types of garden soil.

But on the brighter side, please note that once you have been exposed to it you cannot get it again (a quick blood tests will show immunity) and a large number of women who own or have owned pet cats before conception are actually immune to TP. Statistically, the chances of actually becoming infected during pregancy are low - if you have been innocently tending your cat's litter box without realising you were pregnant there's a good chance all will be okay - just ask your doctor for more information.

But just to be on the safe, get someone else to do the deed whilst you are pregnant, or if you have to do it yourself, wear disposable gloves and wash your hands afterwards. Try not to handle raw meat or animals a whole lot while pregnant in general, and always wash your fresh fruit and veg. Wear gloves whilst gardening.

Not sure about to 60% statistc quoted above..... do you have a source for that?

On the other hand, the chances of actually contracting TP while pregnant are statistically about 0.002% - about 1 in 500.

thats nothing new. toxoplasmosis (which is what the bug is called) is well known for this and has been for years. Use gloves, wash hands!

BTW - many people who are not pregnant and have cats may have already had this and not realised. It is fairly common. it can also be found in unwashed veg and soil outside. U do have to be careful. I am an ex-zoo keeper and had to quit job when i became pregnant for this very reason

This actually isn't anything new. I had my 1st son nearly 23 years ago & was warned to get rid of my cat (who I loved & slept with every night) I didn't & my son was born perfectly healthy but I am sure there must be something to it if there is still research being done into it.

Hmmm....well I am 25 years old, and since I was 18 years old I have had five miscarriages, and not one of them was when I had a cat. Now I have a one year old, and we had a cat...RIP GRAMMA(thats her name)....anyways, we had a cat during my entire pregnancy with my daughter, I never cleaned out the box, but I was always around our cat, and my daughter was fine. Never had any problems!

this is really thoughtful of you to tell other women about miscarriages, well done here's a star : )