Toxoplasmosis is a disease contracted from animal faeces or raw meat. The major source of this infection is the domestic cat, but it can also be carried by other animals, such as sheep. The infection is acquired by ingesting the organism found in infected cat faeces. One third of pregnant women are immune to the disease. In those who are not immune, infection with toxoplasma can cause miscarriage in early pregnancy and, unlike most other infections, can also cause damage to the developing fetus (the eyes and central nervous system are the areas most often affected). However, for most people who become infected, there are no adverse consequences for either themselves or their babies. Pregnant women are advised to avoid touching cat faeces, to avoid touching eyes or mouth while preparing raw meat, and to wash hands thoroughly after handling raw meat. It is also wise to wear gloves if gardening, wash fruit and vegetables well before eating them, and to eat only well-cooked meat. Routine screening for toxoplasma is not considered cost-effective, but if you are worried that you might have had a recent infection, your GP would be able to organise a blood test to establish whether you have been in contact with the infection. If the results of this were positive, further tests would be needed to establish when the infection occurred and whether it might have put your baby at risk.