Foods to avoid during Pregnancy

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During pregnancy, parents keep an extra care and precaution about anything that might harm their baby. Many a times this thought has worried me that whether the food that I am eating is safe for my baby. In this article, I am discussing various food items which a mother needs to avoid during pregnancy.

Avoid seafood

Seafood such as fish is a good source of proteins and omega-3 fatty acids which promote baby’s brain and eye development. However, some fish and shell fish contains very high amount of mercury which could harm baby’s nervous system development and hence should be avoided. Fishes like swordfish, shark, King mackerel and tilefish needs to be avoided. On the other hand, you can consider eating shrimp, salmon, trout and catfish.
One should avoid eating any raw seafood and only eat one if it is properly cooked.

Meat, Poultry and Eggs

A pregnant mother should avoid eating any kind of raw meat or poultry product as it might contain salmonella virus and can harm the baby.
Liver should be avoided completely.
Avoid hot dogs or other luncheon meals as they might not be cooked properly.
Eggs, if taken, must be cooked properly till the yolk and egg white is firm.
Avoid refrigerated and sliced meats or cook them properly before consuming.

UnPasteurised milk products

Food like cheese and milk products should be avoided if not clearly mentioned that they contain pasteurized milk. Unpasteurized milk products might contain bacteria which could lead to diseases.

Raw and unwashed fruits and vegetables

Raw fruits and vegetables can contain bacteria which could lead to illness. Always wash them thoroughly before consuming. Avoid eating sprouts as they are prone to bacterial growth even left out for some time.

Beverages

Avoid taking more than 300mg of caffeine per day. This amounts to 3 cups of instant coffee, 3 cups of tea or 6 cans of cola. Excess caffeine could lead to miscarriage and low birth weight
Avoid unpasteurized juices and herbal tea like chamomile, saga, parsley, aloe, juniper berries, buckthorn bark, comfrey, labrador tea, sassafras, duck roots, lobelia and senna leaves.
Avoid alcohol completely during pregnancy as it is known to cause severe complications during birth and also can affect brain development and result in facial imperfections.

You should consult your doctor for any other precaution that you need to take with regards to foods. Also do inform him if you are allergic to any food. Your baby’s health depends a lot on what you eat and drink. Therefore, take good care of yourself and adopt a healthy lifestyle.