[Congenital toxoplasmosis, evaluation of the prevention policy].

OBJECTIVES

This study was performed to assess the effect of a prevention programme against congenital toxoplasmosis conducted as part of the French health policy developed in the Rhône department.

METHODS

A descriptive epidemiological survey was conducted in 1991 including 806 post-partum women who were hospitalized in 22 maternities in the Rhône department.

RESULTS

Forty-nine percent of the women had negative serology tests. French legislation requiring detecting non-immunized women at diagnosis of pregnancy was applied satisfactorily by the attending physicians. Inversely, women at risk were insufficiently informed: only 17% of the women at risk were aware of the three main routes of contamination; 63% believed vaccination is possible and 11% though they had been vaccinated. Deficient information was probably the cause of poor compliance to preventive measures as observed in this sample: only 17% of the serologically negative women stated they had applied anti-toxoplasmosis prophylaxy measures.

CONCLUSION

Women at risk must be informed to convince them to modify their behaviour during pregnancy. The role of the attending physician and biologist is of major importance.