During pregnancy, you should avoid certain foods, because they can pose a risk to your developing baby. These typically fall into one of two categories: foods that have bacterial contamination and foods that contain toxins. If you're ever unsure as to whether a food is safe for pregnancy, talk to your obstetrician.
Fish Containing Mercury
While fish is healthy for you whether or not you're pregnant, some fish carries a risk of mercury contamination. Mercury is a heavy metal and a potent neurotoxin, meaning that it can damage the brain and nervous system. Your developing baby is especially sensitive to mercury poisoning, explain Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz in their book, "You: Having A Baby." You should avoid large predator fish, including swordfish and shark, and limit your exposure to tuna to one meal a week.
Alcohol
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can lead to birth defects, including a spectrum of developmental, mental, emotional and physical disorders called fetal alcohol syndrome. While some studies have shown that very occasional alcohol use during pregnancy has no negative effects, no studies have proven there's a safe quantity of alcohol that you can consume without risk. As such, explains Dr. Miriam Stoppard in her book "Conception, Pregnancy and Birth," it's best to avoid alcohol entirely.
Caffeine
Though you may miss your morning coffee or tea, it's probably safest to give them up during your pregnancy. Some studies suggest that very moderate caffeine use -- less than 200 to 300 mg per day -- doesn't affect pregnancy, according to Drs. Roizen and Oz. Other studies, however, show that caffeine use early in pregnancy increases risk of miscarriage. Later in pregnancy, caffeine may reduce the rate at which your baby grows. Dr. Roizen and Oz recommend limiting caffeine or eliminating it entirely.
Raw Meats and Seafood
Your immune system isn't quite as strong during pregnancy as it is at other times. This helps to prevent your body from attacking your developing baby as an invader, but it also makes you more susceptible to infections -- including bacterial infections from contaminated foods. Uncooked and undercooked meats pose great risk for bacterial infection and food poisoning -- fish and seafood are especially risky. Make sure all your meat is thoroughly cooked during pregnancy.
References
- "You: Having A Baby"; Michael Roizen, M.D. and Mehmet Oz, M.D.; 2009
- "Conception, Pregnancy and Birth"; Miriam Stoppard, M.D.; 2008
