7 foods to avoid in pregnancy

Pregnancy can do all sorts of things to your appetite. It can put you right off foods you loved and you can find yourself indulging in foods you previously couldn’t stomach. But it is important to remember there are some foods you should avoid during pregnancy whether you are craving them or not.

Cheese

Mouldy cheese such as brie, blue cheese (all types), camembert and goats cheese should all be avoided. These cheeses are made with mould and can contain listeria bacteria that can cause listeriosis. Although this infection is rare, it can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, or severe illness in the baby.

Eggs

Avoid raw or undercooked eggs and any foods that contain them. This includes mayonnaise! Make sure when eating eggs they are fully cooked, preventing the risk of salmonella.

Unpasteurised milk

This also includes unpasteurised goats or sheep milk. This also includes any foods made from them.

Pâté

Avoid all types as this can also contain listeria.

Meat

Do not eat any undercooked or raw meats. Make sure to cook thoroughly. There are warnings to also take care when eating cured meats such as salami, chorizo, pepperoni or Parma ham because these meats are not cooked but cured and fermented so they may contain toxoplasmosis-causing parasites. It’s best to check the instructions on the pack to see whether the product is ready-to-eat or needs cooking first. For ready-to-eat meats, you can reduce any risk from parasites by freezing cured/fermented meats for four days at home before you eat them. Freezing kills most parasites and so makes the meat safer to eat.

Liver

Liver and liver products can contain a lot of vitamin A and too much vitamin A is harmful to a baby.

Seafood

Avoid raw shellfish completely, and limit your intake of tuna, and oily fishes such as salmon.

maternity & infant

 

Originally posted 2014-10-02 15:53:59.