Toxoplasmosis in pregnant women in Guayaquil: Risk Factors and associated social Determinants of Health

Toxoplasmosis is a zoonosis caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii; it has a complex life cycle, with a sexual phase in cats and an asexual phase in warm-blooded hosts, including humans. This research was conducted to determine the risk factors and social determinants of health in pregnant women diagnosed with toxoplasmosis at two health centers in Guayaquil, Ecuador. It was a descriptive, field-based, non-experimental, cross-sectional, and prospective study. It was developed using data collected through self-administered surveys in 2024. The 18-24 age group predominated (45.64%). Pregnant women between 13 and 24 weeks of gestation stood out (38.93%). They lived with cats (12.75%), cleaned the cat litter box without protection (23.48%), and came from rural areas (65.10%). Although 64.43% were aware of the disease and 52.35% knew how it was transmitted, a statistically significant association (p < 0.05) was found between infection and variables such as contact with cats and ethnicity. These results highlight the need to strengthen prevention strategies considering social and environmental factors, especially in warm urban contexts such as Guayaquil, where conditions favor the persistence of the parasite.