Advice to pregnant women during lambing season

Pregnant women should avoid close contact with sheep during the lambing season.

The advice has been issued by the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI).

Pregnant women who come into close contact with sheep during lambing may risk their own health and that of their unborn child, from infections that can occur in some ewes. These include chlamydiosis (enzootic abortion of ewes, EAE), toxoplasmosis and listeriosis, which are common causes of abortion in ewes, and Q fever, which may occasionally cause ewes to abort but which can also be spread via the birth fluids of animals (not just sheep) that have no clinical signs of disease.

Dr Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland said: “Although the number of reports of these infections and human miscarriages resulting from contact with sheep is extremely small, it is important that pregnant women are aware of the potential risks associated with close contact with sheep during lambing and that they take appropriate precautions.”

To avoid the possible risk of infection, pregnant women are advised that they should:

• not help to lamb or milk ewes;
• avoid contact with aborted or new-born lambs or with the afterbirth, birthing fluids or materials (e.g. bedding) contaminated by such birth products;
• avoid handling clothing, boots etc which have come into contact with ewes or lambs or with birth products;
• Pregnant women should seek medical advice if they experience fever or influenza-like symptoms, or if concerned that they could have acquired infection from a farm environment; and
• ensure partners attending lambing ewes take appropriate health and hygiene precautions, including the wearing of personal protective equipment and adequate washing to remove any potential contamination.

Farmers have a responsibility to minimise the risks to pregnant women, including members of their family, the public and professional staff visiting farms. Any action should be determined by their risk assessment required under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations (NI) 2003 and the Management of Health and Safety of Work Regulations (NI) 2000.

If a ewe aborts farmers are advised to consult their veterinary surgeon and submit a sample to the Agriculture Food Bio Sciences Institute at either Omagh or Belfast to determine the cause. In the interests of hygiene, farmers should dispose of all afterbirths promptly and safely in accordance with relevant legislation.

Notes to editors:

1. Farmers should consult their veterinary surgeon about suitable vaccination programmes and any other disease control measures in sheep.
2. Enzootic Abortion in Ewes (EAE) is caused by the organism Chlamydia psittaci. Toxoplasmosis is caused by the organism Toxoplasma gondii and Listeriosis by the organism Listeria monocytogenes. These organisms are some of the causes of abortion in sheep.
3. Q Fever is caused by the Coxiella burnetti bacterium and is widespread globally among livestock and domestic ruminants. Sheep, cattle and goats are the most frequent source of human infection, although pets such as dogs and cats may also be a source.
4. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 require employers to assess risks to health from harmful substances, including micro-organisms, and to take steps to prevent or control those risks. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (NI) 2000 require employers to further assess any risks, which affect pregnant women.
5. Further information on zoonoses and appropriate control measures is contained in the HSE Agriculture Information Sheet 2- Common Zoonoses in Agriculture which is available from the HSE website. Information is available in the 1997 publication “Infection risks to new and expectant mothers in the workplace - A guide for employers”, prepared by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens in consultation with the Health and Safety Executive for Great Britain (ref: ISBN 0-7176-1360-7). This can be accessed on http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/infection.pdf Hard copies are available, price £10.50, from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA, or by calling 01787 881165, or via their website at http://www.hsebooks.co.uk
6. The Health and Safety Executive in Great Britain has produced a booklet entitled “New and Expectant Mothers at Work - A Guide for Employers” which provides guidance on protecting the health and safety of workers who are new or expectant mothers (ref: ISBN 0 7176 2583 4). Copies are available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury. Suffolk, CO10 2NA, or can be ordered via their website. The companion guide for new and expectant mothers who work is available for download.
7. The Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens has produced guidance entitled “Infection at work: Controlling the risks - A guide for employers and the self employed on identifying, assessing and controlling the risks of infection in the workplace” which may be accessed on the website or by ringing the HSE helpline 0845 345 0055
8. Further advice is available from the HSENI (Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland) on their One 2-One Helpline 0800 0320 121 or by email hseni@detini.gov.uk
9. Press enquiries to the DHSSPS Press Office on 02890520575. Out of office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.