Food items which should be avoided during pregnancy
When you’re carrying, the food which you eat and drink directly affects the health of your baby and some of the food items have the potential of endangering your unborn child’s life.So during pregnancy you should not only have a balance diet, but also try to avoid the following food items which you might have been regularly eating or drinking during the pre pregnancy period.
Raw eggs – Raw eggs can be infected with salmonella bacteria, which can be killed only by thorough cooking.But many of the icecreams, puddings, custards, salad dressings and sauces have raw egg as an ingredient.Pregnant women should strictly avoid these.
Raw fish - Raw shell fish, sushi and other smoked or uncooked fish dishes is a strict no to expecting mothers as these may contain parasites or bacteria.
Raw or undercooked meat – When you are expecting your risk for getting bacterial infection is more, hence extra care should be taken.During pregnancy you should altogether avoid eating of partially or undercooked meat as these pose risk of Salmonella, E.Coli, toxoplasmosis etc.It is better to avoid stakes or grills as the meat may not be cooked properly from inside.
Unpasteurized milk products – Unpasteurized milk may be infected with listeria, which is a serious threat to expecting mom.Listeriosis is extremely dangerous as this can cause miscarriages and stillbirth.Don’t forget to check the label of the product and confirm that it is pasteurized.Certain types of cheese like Brie cheese, feta cheese and blue cheese are made from unpasteurized milk, so give it a skip.
Processed deli meats – Processed deli meats like sausages, mortadella, salami, hotdogs should be avoided at all costs, but if you are bend on eating see that it is cooked properly in optimum temperature, even if it is mentioned on the packet that food is precooked as they may still be infected with Listeria.
Liver and liver products – Liver contains a high amount of Vitamin A, which has been linked to birth defects, hence avoid excessive intake of these products
Raw sprouts – FDA has advised not to eat sprouts without cooking as bacteria can enter the sprouts and doesn’t leave even after washing.
Fish with high mercury content – Sea food is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids which is good for the fetus, but fishes like King Mackerel, Sword fish ,Shark etc.has high levels of mercury which can harm the child’s nervous system and cause brain damage.
Caffeine/alcohol - Intake of Caffeine found in coffee, tea, soft drinks and energy drinks in moderation is fine.But excess consumption is said to increase the chance for miscarriage and low birth weight.So it is better not to take chances and stay away from caffeine at least during the first trimester.No level of alcohol can be termed safe during pregnancy.Alcohol elevate the risk of miscarriage and still birth, cause heart defects, mental retardation and curb brain development.
Fruits - Some fruits like pineapple, papaya and grapes are known to be bad during pregnancy.Pineapples contains bromelain which can soften the cervix leading to premature delivery, so you should have this fruit only in limited quantities.It is better to avoid unripe and semi ripe Papaya as this has latex which can trigger uterine contractions.Also you should take care to wash the fruits and vegetables thoroughly, so as to avoid bacterial infections.Fresh juice is good during pregnancy, but it is not safe to drink fresh fruit juices from outside, make it a point to make them fresh at home.
Aspartame - Aspartame is found in artificial sweeteners used by diabetic patients and calorie conscious people.But recent studies have shown that this do more harm than good.It may also trigger a miscarriage.
MSG – commonly known as ajinomoto or Chinese salt is not only bad for pregnant ladies, but also for children.
Dr.Anita Mani
Infertility& Surrogacy Specialist at Gift IVF Centre
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