When you are pregnant, you have to choose foods carefully because each thing you eat also affects your growing baby. Because your baby's immune system is developing, foods that do not affect you can still harm your baby's body. However, there are many rumors about foods that are good versus those that are bad. If you have heard soy can cause birth defects, this is in fact a misconception: Soy is considered safe to consume when pregnant.
Significance
Soy products are those derived from the soybean, a small, green bean that is a common ingredient in Japanese dishes. The soybean can be a vegetable source of protein in your daily diet, which can be advantageous if you are a vegetarian. Examples of foods that contain soy products include tempeh, miso and tofu. You also may choose to consume soy milk instead of traditional cow's milk in your daily diet.
Hormone Concerns
One of the chief concerns over consuming soy while pregnant is that soy products contain plant chemicals called isoflavones that closely mimic the effects of estrogen in your body. Because your body's production of hormones, including estrogen, is heightened during pregnancy, the soy concern stems from the idea that adding additional hormones could have adverse side effects. However, experts like Dr. Laura Stachel are not concerned with this potential link. "It's hard to imagine that phytochemicals from soy could have a significant impact on overall hormone levels during pregnancy," Dr. Stachel said in an article on Fisher-Price.com.
Moderation
Like many foods in your daily diet, moderation is the key to staying healthy. Eating excessive levels of soy products during pregnancy may not cause birth defects, but they can lower cholesterol levels, which affects your body's ability to make hormones like progesterone and estrogen when eaten in excess amounts. Try limiting your overall soy intake to about one to two servings per day, according to Elizabeth Somer, MA, RD, a dietitian interviewed in "Fit Pregnancy." Examples of a serving size include a half-cup of tofu or one cup of soy milk.
Side Effects
Because pregnancy is associated with increased incidence of gastrointestinal issues like gas and nausea, you may find eating soy heightens these effects, according to Dr. Gerard DiLeo, an OB/GYN quoted on BabyZone. If you experience these side effects after consuming soy products, you may wish to refrain from eating soy foods until after your first trimester, when nausea tends to start to subside, or avoid them entirely.
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