toxoplasmosis can cause serious problems in babies since the immune system in infants is not fully mature until after birth. the babies of women who were exposed to toxo within a few months of becoming pregnant or during pregnancy are at an increased risk for developing a severe case of toxo. according to the nih (u. s. national institutes of health) pregnant women who newly contract the toxoplasmosis parasite have a 40% chance of transmitting it to their unborn child. women who were first exposed to toxo more than six months before becoming pregnant are not likely to pass the infection to their children. most infants have no symptoms at birth but a small percentage may be born with eye or brain damage. unfortunately the signs and symptoms of the disease often appear a few months after birth.
can toxoplasmosis develop into a more serious illness in babies?