Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms, Week by Week Pregnancy Guide

Having a balanced nutrition is always important, but it becomes even more important during pregnancy.

You should also think about the things not to eat when pregnant. Although normally these kinds of foods don’t represent any threat, don’t forget that during pregnancy you are more prone to infections.

Raw meat and foods not to eat when pregnant

Undercooked or rare poultry or beef and uncooked seafood should be avoided when you are pregnant. This is because if you eat these you increase your chances of being infected with toxoplasmosis, coliform bacteria or salmonella.

Deli meat

When thinking about the things not to eat during pregnancy you should know that there is always the possibility for deli meat to be infected with listeria. This can lead to miscarriage. Listeria can also cross the placenta and it can infect the baby or cause blood poisoning.

Fish and mercury

There are some fish that contain high levels of mercury. These are part of the things not to eat when pregnant because mercury is linked to brain damage and developmental delays. Fish of this kind include shark, king mackerel, tilefish and swordfish. In limited amounts you could have canned tuna.

Smoked seafood

The smoked and refrigerated seafood also belongs among the things not to eat while being pregnant. These are often labeled as nova style, lox, jerky and kippered. These should be avoided because they might lead to an infection with listeria. Usually you can find foods of this kind in the deli section of stores.

Industrial pollutants

In case you are thinking about things not to eat when pregnant you should know that it is important to avoid having fish that comes from contaminated waters. This is why you should avoid the fish from local streams and ponds. Don’t have bluefish, salmon, spiked bass, trout, spike, or walleye.

Raw shellfish

If you are considering foods not to eat during pregnancy it is good to know that usually the problems arise because of undercooked shellfish. These include clams, oysters and mussels. By cooking you can avoid some kinds of infections, but it doesn’t help in case of algae related infections.

Raw eggs

The women thinking about things not to eat when pregnant should make sure that they don’t have raw eggs or food that contains raw eggs because there is the possibility of a salmonella infection. Avoid having Caesar dressings, custards, mayonnaise, homemade ice cream and Hollandaise dressings.

Soft cheese

The foods not to eat while being pregnant include the soft cheeses because they can contain listeria. Avoid the soft cheeses such as Camembert, Feta, Brie, Roquefort, Mexican and Gorgonzola if they contain queso fresco or queso blanco unless it is prepared using pasteurized milk. The imported cheese that is made of pasteurized milk is safe for pregnant women.

There are some other things not to eat when pregnant, such as pate, caffeine, alcohol and unwashed vegetables. Having the mentioned kinds of food carries the risk of getting some kind of infection that could harm you and the baby.