What is a potential fetal complication of maternal toxoplasmosis?

Maternal toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, and it can lead to various fetal complications if a mother becomes infected during pregnancy. One of the recognized potential complications is ventriculomegaly, which refers to an abnormal enlargement of the cerebral ventricles in the fetus. This condition can result from the inflammatory response to the infection, leading to disruption in normal brain development.

Ventriculomegaly can have significant implications for the developing fetus, potentially resulting in neurodevelopmental issues after birth. The presence of this condition is often evaluated through prenatal imaging, such as an ultrasound, where increased ventricular size can be identified.

Other conditions associated with maternal infections, such as neural tube defects or gestational diabetes, have different etiologies and risk factors that do not directly correlate with toxoplasmosis. Preterm labor is also a concern in various obstetric contexts, but it is not specifically linked to toxoplasmosis in the same way that neurological complications like ventriculomegaly are.