There are certain foods or drinks that everyone knows to avoid during pregnancy, like alcohol. But there are a lot more foods that people might not think to avoid. When a woman is pregnant, she is more susceptible to disease, because her immune system is affected by the pregnancy. This includes foodborne illnesses, like E. coli, salmonella or listeria, which is why it is so important for pregnant women to avoid foods that may contain them. The following is a list of foods and drinks that pregnant women should steer clear of:
- Certain kinds of fish that contain high levels of mercury
- Click here to see which fish are low in mercury and which are high.
- Raw or undercooked fish or shellfish
- These might carry parasites or bacteria.
- Raw or undercooked eggs
- These might contain salmonella. Remember to also avoid foods that CONTAIN raw eggs like cookie dough and eggnog.
- Unpasteurized milk
- It might contain listeria or E. coli. Remember to also avoid foods that CONTAIN unpasteurized milk, including any kind of soft cheese. To be safe, check the labels on dairy products to ensure they are pasteurized.
- Unpasteurized fruit juice
- These might contain E. coli.
- Undercooked deli meats
- These might contain listeria and should be thoroughly cooked before eating. This includes bologna, salami, hot dogs, etc.
- Raw or undercooked meat
- These might contain E. coli or listeria.
- Caffeine
- This slows growth in children, babies, and unborn babies. Mothers who consume caffeine during pregnancy are at risk of having a baby with a low birth weight, which can cause health issues for the baby.
- Unwashed fruits and vegetables
- These can be covered in various types of bacteria that can infect the mother and baby.
- Alcohol
- Drinking alcohol while pregnant can cause issues with the baby’s brain development, fetal alcohol syndrome, miscarriage and stillbirth. No amount of alcohol has been proven to be safe to consume while pregnant, and even a little bit can harm the baby.
If you have questions about pregnancy nutrition or which foods and drinks to avoid while pregnant, schedule an appointment with one of the doctors at Mt. Auburn today, and they would be happy to walk you through proper prenatal nutrition.