PERCEPÇÃO DE GESTANTES SOBRE TOXOPLASMOSE: UM ESTUDO EM MATERNIDADES PÚBLICAS NA CIDADE DE SÃO LUÍS - MA.

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.77724081012

• Palavras-chave: Zoonoses. Educação em saúde. Felino.

• Keywords: Zoonoses. Health education. Feline.

• Abstract: The Toxoplasmosis is a globally distributed zoonosis, caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, which acquires special relevance when it affects pregnant women, due to the possibility of vertical transmission. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the perception of pregnant women in relation to toxoplasmosis in public maternity hospitals in the city of São Luís, Maranhão. For this purpose, 67 pregnant women from the Benedito Leite and Marly Sarney maternity hospitals were interviewed in the period of January and February 2024. The socioeconomic profile of the pregnant women are, residents of the municipality of São Luís (62.6%), the majority were in the 3rd gestational trimester (67.2%), aged between 20-29 (49.3%), married (43.2%) and with complete secondary education (41.7%).  Most pregnant women said they had never heard about toxoplasmosis (58.2%) and had never received any guidance on prenatal care and prevention of the disease (55.3%). Among pregnant women who declared that they had some knowledge about toxoplasmosis, 23% mistakenly associated cats as the main source of transmission of the disease to the baby.  It was observed that 58.2% were unaware of toxoplasmosis, highlighting the need for health education. Educational interventions were carried out, including lectures and distribution of folders. The study highlights the relevance of guidance during prenatal care, emphasizing the need for more effective and inclusive educational strategies.