If a woman is pregnant, she should reduce the amount of coffee consumption and completely exclude alcohol drinks. But there are much more insidious foods that may harm pregnant women. At first glance, they seem healthy but in fact, they can cause harm to the unborn baby more than coffee. Here is a list of five products that should be avoided in pregnancy.
1. Raw Eggs
Raw eggs and products containing them such as homemade mayonnaise, raw dough, poached eggs, and tiramisu are dangerous for pregnant women and can cause salmonellosis. This acute intestinal infection is not fatal but it provokes severe diarrhea and vomiting which can cause dehydration. Since the normal blood supply to the fetus and the level of amniotic fluid in the uterus depend on the amount of moisture, water deficiency can result in impaired fetal development and an increased risk of miscarriage.
2. Raw Meat
Gastroenterologists warn that raw meat, rare steaks, roasted and dried sausages, poorly fried minced meat in fast food can be infected with parasites such as toxoplasmas. These parasites are able to penetrate the placental barrier and cause serious violations in the development of the unborn baby. But fortunately, it’s easy to eliminate parasites in meat, it just needs to be properly heated. Freezing dried or smoked products for four days will help reduce the risk of parasites.
3. Raw Fish
You should be especially careful with river and wild ocean fish, shellfish (oysters, mussels), dried, smoked fish of all kinds, and sushi.
Here is a list of dangers from raw fish that every pregnant woman needs to know:
- Raw fish can be infected with parasites
- It can also have pathogenic bacteria, for example, listeria or botulinum bacteria which cause deadly botulism
- River fish can be caught in chemically contaminated water bodies and all toxic substances will go to both mother and baby
- Ocean fish may contain mercury. Especially dangerous are sharks, swordfish, and king mackerel. Mercury poisoning affects both the health of the mother and the unborn baby. This element can cause brain damage and developmental delays.
4. Liver
The liver and cod liver oil contain too much vitamin A. Excess of this vitamin in the body can lead to the development of birth defects. A pregnant woman shouldn’t eat too many liver products, especially if for some reason she is taking vitamin A supplements. In no case should you prescribe yourself vitamins and dietary supplements, only your doctor and can do this.
5. Caffeine
Caffeine is contained not only in coffee, but also in green tea, chocolate, cola, and energy drinks. An excess of caffeine can cause low birth weight and this, in turn, increases the risk of health problems in the future. Sometimes abuse of caffeinated products provokes a miscarriage. It is not necessary to completely give up caffeine, you simply shouldn’t consume more than 200 mg per day.
6. Soft cheeses
Due to high humidity and mold, soft cheeses are an ideal environment for the development of all kinds of bacteria, including those bacteria which are dangerous to the fetus. Listeria can provoke severe developmental disorders, miscarriage or stillbirth.
The ideal option is to eat hard cheese since they are safer. A pregnant woman can also eat soft cheeses but only if they are made from pasteurized milk. These are mozzarella, feta, ricotta, cream cheese, and halloumi.