Now that you are pregnant, you must be careful to ensure everything you eat will assist in the growth and development of your baby. Here’s a list of foods that are best avoided during pregnancy:
- Alcohol: It is best to completely avoid alcohol during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Following this period, you may have no more than 1-2 alcoholic drinks per week. Going beyond this limit can increase the risk for premature birth, miscarriage, abnormal brain development, restricted growth, and fetal alcohol syndrome.
- Unpasteurized Milk: Pregnant women who consume unpasteurized milk are at risk of developing listeriosis. This disease may cause mild flu symptoms in the mother but could potentially cross the placental barrier and cause serious complications in the baby such as preterm birth, low-birth weight, or even infant death.
- Undercooked Meat: Make sure the meat you consume is well cooked. It is safest to avoid undercooked sausages and minced meat as well as raw cured meat such as salami and pepperoni.
- Soft Cheese: Mold-ripened soft cheeses such as brie or soft blue-veined cheeses are best avoided as they may contain Listeria bacteria that can harm the baby.
- Raw or Undercooked Eggs: When eating eggs, make sure the whites and yolks are not runny, but cooked until they are solid. You should also avoid foods such as mousse or mayonnaise that contain raw eggs. This reduces the risk of developing a salmonella infection.
- Certain types of Fish: Avoid or limit canned tuna, shark, and swordfish as they contain high levels of mercury that could damage the developing nervous system of your baby.
If you have already consumed food that might put your pregnancy at risk, there is no need to panic. Unless you become ill, it is unlikely your baby is affected. Just avoid risky food in the future and talk to your doctor or a fertility specialist to confirm all is well with your pregnancy.
ReproMed Fertility Center has four convenient locations in the Dallas metroplex and one in Tyler. Please contact us at (214) 827-8777 for all appointments and information.