Foods to avoid during pregnancy

Pregnant mothers are vulnerable people. Their predisposition to dangers goes beyond violence, sickness, pregnancy discomforts and pains etc.

Routine checkups and antenatal care  are also a strong pillar to safe and problem free pregnancy. However diet and nutrition play a vital role in the health of  pregnant mothers and their unborn babies. This aspect is sometimes overlook or mismanaged, and poses major threat to safe-motherhood. We take  look at various foods to avoid, or be mindful of during pregnancy.

UN-pasteurized milk

 

Raw milk that has not been pasteurized to kill harmful bacteria or other microbes, collected from cows, sheep, goats and from other sources.

Reason to avoid them

This unpasteurized milk can sometimes carry harmful pathogens, bacteria such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, Liateria and E. coli, which are accountable for causing numerous food borne diseases.

Measures of management and safety

Consume pasteurized milk, practice good hygiene and proper food storage.

Raw fish/Fish high in mercury

 

Fishes are aquatic animals, living in water bodies; they are exposed to varies disease causing organisms and different environmental factors that can contaminate them. 

Reason to avoid them

Fishes can contain bacteria, pathogens and parasite and, several unpleasant environmental factors that may have contaminated them such as mercury and other harmful heavy metals . 

Measures of management and safety

Cook fish up to 65° Centigrade, eat low-mercury fish, such as salmon, shrimp, pollock, tilapia, trout, salmon or shrimp.

Raw Eggs

Raw eggs are contained in the following foods , Hollandaise sauce, ice-cream, salad, cake icing when consume raw with contaminants can affect pregnant mothers.

Reason to avoid them

Raw eggs or raw eggs products can be contaminated with salmonella and if consume uncooked can cause diarrhea, fever, vomiting and stomach cramps.

Measures of management and safety

Avoid contamination, Cook eggs until yolks are firm or cook up to  a temperature of 71 degree centigrade and use pasteurized egg product when  preparing  food that requires  uncooked eggs.

Raw and under-cooked meat

 This includes Beef, veal, lamb, and pork.

Reason to avoid them

Consumption of raw meat or under-cooked meat predisposes the mother to various disease causing organisms, like Toxoplasma, E. coli, Listeria and Salmonella.

Measures of management and safety

Ensure you cook beef, veal, and lamb to a temperature of about 71° Centigrade to kill harmful microbe in the meat and ensure safe meat storage practices, keep unfinished meat refrigerated.

Caffeine

A stimulant found in coffee, cola nuts and tea. It’s a commonly used psychoactive substance.

Reason to avoid them

High caffeine consumption during pregnancy can slow fetal development and pose a great risk of having a low birth baby.

Measures of management and safety

Limit caffeine consumption to about 200 mg per day during pregnancy or avoid if necessary.

Unwashed fruits and vegetables

Edible parts of plants fleshy or the leafy parts for making salads or soup and fruits are edible part of plants that contains seeds.

Reason to avoid them

Unwashed fruits and vegetables may contain several bacteria and disease causing organisms.

This includes Toxoplasma, E. col and Salmonella

Measures of management and safety

Fruits and vegetables must be well handled to avoid cross=contamination through poor handling and must be properly rinsed before consumption in case of fruits band vegetables should be well cooked to kill

Alcohol

An alcohol, or alcoholic beverage, is a drink that contains a substantial amount of ethanol.

Reason to avoid them

Pregnant women who consume alcohol expose their babies to the risk of fetal alcohol syndrome and it involves facial deformities, heart defects, stillbirth, miscarriage and mental retardation.

Measures of management and safety

Medically no level of alcohol has been verified to be harmless during pregnancy, it is recommended to avoid it.

Also read - Five ways to avoid malaria during pregnancy