FETAL DIAGNOSIS OF TOXOPLASMOSIS IN 190 WOMEN INFECTED DURING PREGNANCY

One hundred and ninety women who contracted toxoplasmosis after the se venth week of pregnancy underwent antenatal diagnosis, including ultra sound examination and biological tests. Tests included Toxoplasma isol ation in fetal blood and amniotic fluid by mouse inoculation, specific IgM and IgA in fetal blood, and non-specific tests. Twenty fetuses ha d positive specific as well as non-specific tests for Toxoplasma infec tion. At birth, four of these presented with clinical congenital toxop lasmosis and 12 with subclinical forms. Antenatal diagnosis enabled th e detection of 83 per cent of the infected fetuses. Under specific con ditions, cordocentesis permits early diagnosis and considerably reduce s the number of terminations of pregnancy.