Survey of local policies for prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis.

: District policies for the primary and secondary prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis in England, Wales, Jersey, and the Isle of Man were surveyed in 1992. Consultants in communicable disease control were asked to describe past, present, and proposed prenatal screening programmes and current health education policies. One hundred and eighty-seven out of 196 districts responded to a postal questionnaire. One district had a prenatal screening programme for toxoplasmosis and five were discussing possible programmes. Over half (55%) had never had a programme or considered introducing one and 68 (36%) districts had decided against screening. Fifty-four per cent of districts had health education policies on toxoplasmosis, and most of these provided leaflets in antenatal clinics. A sample of districts that in 1992 were considering or had not ruled out screening was followed up in February 1994. None had implemented a screening policy. All but one district, therefore, are following the recommendation by a working group of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists that prenatal screening for toxoplasmosis should not be introduced in the United Kingdom. The value of current health education policies in the primary prevention of congenital toxoplasmosis needs to be assessed.