Foods to Avoid While Pregnant

Almost every woman knows the basic of what they should and should not do during pregnancy.  They know that caffeine should be cut back; they should not smoke, drink alcohol or spend time in any hot tubs.  However more and more studies are being done to see if pregnant women should avoid certain foods for the duration of their pregnancy.

It is essential that pregnant women eat a well balanced meal at all times to provide their growing baby with the vitamins, nutrients and minerals that the baby needs to grow.   There are some foods though that needs to be avoided due to the risk they pose to not just to the mother, but also to the growing baby.

For starters, raw meat needs to be avoided due to the risk of toxoplasmosis and salmonella.  This means no more rare steaks, or rare burgers.  Pregnant women should take caution and make sure that all of the meat they eat is cooked well done.  Cold deli meat should also be avoided because of the risk of listeria.  Listeria can cross the placenta and can cause an infection or blood poisoning to the baby.  Keep in mind though that deli meat can be reheated until it is steaming and this will help reduce the risk.

Speaking of listeria there are other foods that can contain this bacteria.  Some soft cheeses such as brie, feta, and gorgonzola.  These cheeses are commonly made with unpasterized milk.  Unpasterized milk often contains listeria, so pregnant women need to make sure that any soft cheeses they are going to eat are made with pasteurized milk.

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Source:  Foods to Avoid While Pregnant