While you are pregnant, your nutritional choices matter to more than just you. Pregnancy requires you to pay careful attention to your diet, and be aware of what foods can cause potential complications to your pregnancy and damage to your developing baby.
Seafood High in Mercury
While seafood possesses healthy nutrients for your developing baby, certain seafood contains high levels of mercury. Consuming too much mercury during pregnancy can cause damage to your baby's nervous system. Larger fish with longer lives tend to contain more mercury, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and marlin. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, eating up to 12 oz. of shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon and catfish is safe for pregnant women.
Raw or Undercooked Foods
Raw or undercooked foods should be avoided during your entire pregnancy. These foods could be contaminated by bacteria that may cause mild discomfort to healthy adults, but could cause miscarriage, still birth or premature delivery in a pregnancy. Avoid raw seafood and fish--including sushi. When making eggs, break the yolks and cook thoroughly. Remember that Caesar dressing and Hollandaise sauce contain raw eggs. Cook all meats thoroughly, and do not eat raw cookie dough or cake batter--bake and then eat the final product.
Unpasteurized Foods
Unpasteurized milks, juices and cheeses may contain the bacteria Listeria. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, pregnant women are 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to be infected by Listeria. During your first trimester, Listeria may cause miscarriage, and further along in your pregnancy your health becomes more at risk with Listeria infection. Avoid drinking any unpasteurized milks and juices. Also avoid the cheeses brie, feta, Camembert, blue cheese or any Mexican-style cheeses unless they clearly state they have been made with pasteurized milk.
Unwashed Fruits and Vegetables
While it is always a good idea to wash your fruits and vegetables before use, it becomes more important while you are pregnant. Listeria can be found on pre-packaged vegetables and on salad bars, as well as on raw vegetable sprouts. If you are planning on eating your fruits and vegetables raw, thoroughly wash each piece, and cut away any damaged parts.
Caffeine
The American Pregnancy Association recommends avoiding caffeine during your first trimester of pregnancy to help lower the risk of miscarriage. As caffeine is a diuretic, too much caffeine can cause your body to lose extra fluid, which may result in water and calcium loss. Try to replace caffeinated beverages with water, milk or juices. The American Pregnancy Association also recommends refraining from consuming caffeine as much as possible during pregnancy, as researchers have documented potential pregnancy complications--including premature birth, low birth weight and withdrawal symptoms at birth--from caffeine.
Alcohol
Researchers have not determined a safe amount of alcohol to drink while pregnant, and the American Pregnancy Association recommends avoiding alcohol completely. Drinking too much alcohol during pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome, which can cause mental retardation, heart problems and facial deformities. Moderate drinking during pregnancy may also interfere with your baby's brain development, and is related to a higher risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. Until a safe level of alcohol during pregnancy is set, both the American Pregnancy Association and the Mayo Clinic recommend avoiding alcohol during pregnancy.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Pregnancy nutrition: Foods to avoid during pregnancy
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: While You're Pregnant -- Methylmercury
- American Pregnancy Association: Mercury Levels in Fish
- BabyZone: What Not to Eat While Pregnant
- FoodSafety.gov: Checklist of Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: While You're Pregnant -- Listeria
