foods to avoid during pregnancy
eating well balanced meals is important at
all times, but it is even more essential
when you are pregnant. There are
essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals
that your developing baby needs. Most
foods are safe; however, there are some
foods that you should avoid during
pregnancy.
What are the foods I should avoid during
pregnancy?
Raw meat: uncooked seafood and rare or
uncooked beef or poultry should be avoided
because of the risk of contamination with
coliform bacteria, toxoplasmosis, and
salmonella.
Deli meat: deli meats have been known to
be contaminated with listeria, which can
cause miscarriage. Listeria has the
ability to cross the placenta and may
infect the baby leading to infection or
blood poisoning, which may be
life-threatening. If you are pregnant and
you are considering eating deli meats,
make certain that you reheat the meat
until it is steaming.
Liver: there is some concern about the
amounts of vitamin a in liver. Large
amounts of vitamin a have the potential to
pose a risk to an unborn baby. The safest
approach is to avoid eating liver.
Fish with mercury: fish that contain high
levels of mercury should be avoided.
Mercury consumed during pregnancy has been
linked to developmental delays and brain
damage. A sample of these types of fish
include: shark, swordfish, king mackerel,
fresh tuna, sea bass, and tilefish.
Canned, chunk light tuna generally has
less amounts of mercury than other tuna,
but still should only be eaten in
moderation. Certain types of fish used in
sushi should also be avoided due to high
levels of mercury. Please see mercury in
fish for specific types of fish and
further information on how to calculate
mercury levels.
Fish exposed to industrial pollutants:
avoid fish from contaminated lakes and
rivers that may be exposed to high levels
of polychlorinated biphyenyls. This is
primarily for those who fish in local
lakes and streams. These fish include:
blue fish, striped bass, salmon, pike,
trout, and walleye. Contact the local
health department or environmental
protection agency to determine which fish
are safe to eat in your area. Remember,
this is regarding fish caught in local
waters and not fish from your local
grocery store.
Your purchase supports the apa
raw shellfish: the majority of seafood
borne illness is caused by undercooked
shellfish, which include oysters, clams,
and mussels. Cooking helps prevent some
types of infection, but it does not
prevent the algae-related infections that
are associated with red tides. Raw
shellfish pose concern for everybody and
they should be avoided altogether during
pregnancy.
Raw eggs: raw eggs or any foods that
contain raw eggs should be avoided because
of the potential exposure to salmonella.
Some caesar dressings, mayonnaise,
homemade ice cream or custards, and
hollandaise sauces may be made with raw
eggs. Unpasteurized eggnog should also be
avoided.
Soft cheeses: imported soft cheeses may
contain bacteria called listeria, which
can cause miscarriage. Listeria has the
ability to cross the placenta and may
infect the baby leading to infection or
blood poisoning, which can be
life-threatening. The soft cheeses to
avoid include: brie, camembert, roquefort,
feta, gorgonzola and mexican style cheeses
that include queso blanco and queso
fresco. Soft non-imported cheeses made
with pasteurized milk are safe to eat.
Unpasteurized milk: unpasteurized milk may
contain bacteria called listeria, which
can cause miscarriage. Listeria has the
ability to cross the placenta and may
infect the baby leading to infection or
blood poisoning, which can be
life-threatening. Make sure that any milk
that you drink is pasteurized.
Pate: pate should be avoided because it
may contain the bacteria listeria.
Caffeine: although most studies show that
caffeine intake in moderation is okay,
there are others that show that caffeine
intake may be related to miscarriages.
Avoid caffeine during the first trimester
to reduce the likelihood of a miscarriage.
As a general rule, in later stages of
your pregnancy caffeine should be limited
to fewer than 300 mg per day. Caffeine is
a diuretic, which means it helps eliminate
fluids from the body. This can result in
water and calcium loss. It is important
that you are drinking plenty of water,
juice, and milk rather than caffeinated
beverages. Some research shows that large
amounts of caffeine are associated with
miscarriage, premature birth, low birth
weight, and withdrawal symptoms in
infants. The safest thing is not to
consume caffeine.
Alcohol: there is no amount of alcohol
that is known to be safe during pregnancy,
and therefore alcohol should be avoided
during pregnancy. Prenatal exposure to
alcohol can interfere with the healthy
development of the baby. Depending on the
amount, timing, and pattern of use,
alcohol consumption during pregnancy can
lead to fetal alcohol syndrome or other
developmental disorders. If you consumed
alcohol before you knew you were pregnant,
stop drinking now. Alcohol should
continue to be avoided during
breastfeeding. Exposure to alcohol as an
infant poses harmful risks, and alcohol
does reach the baby during
breastfeeding.
Unwashed vegetables: yes, vegetables are
safe to eat, so you still need to eat
them. However, it is essential to make
sure they are washed to avoid potential
exposure to toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis
may contaminate the soil which the
vegetables were grown in.
Herbal remedies: don't take anything
without first checking with your health
care provider. Goldenseal, mugwort, and
penny royal are all associated with
uterine contractions and should be
avoided.
Last edited by QueenBee2_3 on 03-28-06 15:53pm; edited 1 time in total
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Sunflower_pie81
Especially EHEALTHy
Joined: 17 Jan 2006 Posts: 5041 Location: to hell with this crap
Posted: 03-28-06 15:40pm
Remember moderation and self control, rule
of thumb while preggers
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This page was last updated on June 11, 2008