Ensuring a healthy pregnancy involves making informed choices about your diet. While focusing on nutritious foods is essential, knowing What Foods Pregnant Women Should Avoid is equally crucial for the well-being of both the mother and the developing baby. This guide provides comprehensive information, drawing upon expert advice, to help you navigate your dietary choices during pregnancy.
Seafood High in Mercury: A Risk to Neural Development
Seafood is a valuable source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, vital for your baby’s brain and eye development. However, certain types of seafood contain high levels of mercury, which can be detrimental to the baby’s developing nervous system. Larger and older fish tend to accumulate more mercury.
The FDA advises pregnant women to avoid the following high-mercury fish:
- Bigeye Tuna
- King Mackerel
- Marlin
- Orange Roughy
- Swordfish
- Shark
- Tilefish
Thankfully, numerous seafood options are low in mercury and safe to consume in moderation. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that pregnant women consume 8 to 12 ounces (224 to 336 grams) of low-mercury seafood per week, which translates to 2 to 3 servings. Safe choices include:
- Anchovies
- Black Sea Bass
- Catfish
- Cod
- Freshwater Trout
- Herring
- Light Canned Tuna
- Oysters
- Pollock
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Shad
- Shrimp
- Sole
- Tilapia
- Whitefish
Alt: Pregnant woman carefully selecting fresh fish at a market, highlighting the importance of choosing low-mercury options for a healthy pregnancy.
Raw, Undercooked, or Tainted Seafood: A Breeding Ground for Bacteria
Consuming raw, undercooked, or tainted seafood poses a significant risk of exposure to harmful bacteria and viruses.
To minimize these risks, follow these guidelines:
- Avoid raw fish and shellfish: This includes sushi, sashimi, ceviche, and raw oysters, scallops, or clams.
- Steer clear of uncooked refrigerated seafood: Examples include seafood labeled nova style, lox, kippered, or smoked. Cooked smoked seafood in dishes like casseroles is safe. Canned and shelf-stable versions are also safe.
- Pay attention to local fish advisories: If consuming fish from local waters, check for advisories regarding safe consumption frequency, especially when water pollution is a concern. If unsure, refrain from eating more fish that week.
- Ensure thorough cooking: Cook fish to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Fish is cooked when it flakes easily with a fork and appears milky white. Cook shrimp, lobster, and scallops until milky white, and clams, mussels, and oysters until their shells open. Discard any that don’t open.
Undercooked Meat, Poultry, and Eggs: A Food Poisoning Hazard
Pregnant women are more susceptible to food poisoning due to changes in their immune system. Foodborne illnesses can have more severe consequences during pregnancy, and while rare, may affect the baby.
To prevent foodborne illness:
- Cook all meats and poultry thoroughly: Use a meat thermometer to ensure adequate cooking.
- Heat hot dogs and lunch meats until steaming hot: Alternatively, avoid them altogether due to the risk of listeria infection.
- Avoid refrigerated pates and meat spreads: Canned and shelf-stable versions are safe.
- Cook eggs until yolks and whites are firm: Raw eggs can harbor harmful bacteria. Avoid foods made with raw or partially cooked eggs, such as homemade eggnog, raw batter, tiramisu, and homemade hollandaise sauce, Caesar salad dressing, and ice cream.
- Refrain from eating ready-made meat or seafood salads: This includes ham salad, tuna salad, and chicken salad.
Unpasteurized Foods: A Hidden Risk
Many low-fat dairy products, such as skim milk, mozzarella cheese, and cottage cheese, can be part of a healthy pregnancy diet. However, avoid any products containing unpasteurized milk due to the risk of foodborne illness.
Avoid soft cheeses like brie, feta, and blue cheese unless they are labeled as pasteurized or made with pasteurized milk. Also, avoid unpasteurized juice or cider.
Unwashed Fruits and Vegetables: A Source of Bacteria
Thoroughly wash all raw fruits and vegetables to remove harmful bacteria. Avoid raw sprouts, including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts, as they may contain harmful bacteria. Ensure that sprouts are fully cooked before consumption.
Excessive Caffeine Intake: Potential Effects on the Baby
Caffeine can cross the placenta and affect the baby, although the exact effects are not fully understood. To err on the side of caution, healthcare professionals may advise limiting caffeine intake to less than 200 milligrams (mg) per day.
An 8-ounce (240-mL) cup of brewed coffee contains approximately 95 mg of caffeine. An 8-ounce (240-mL) cup of brewed tea contains about 47 mg, and a 12-ounce (360-mL) caffeinated cola has around 33 mg.
Herbal Tea: Uncertain Effects
The effects of certain herbs on fetuses are not well-established. Therefore, avoid drinking herbal tea unless your healthcare professional advises otherwise, including herbal teas marketed for pregnancy.
Alcohol Consumption: A Definite No
No amount of alcohol has been proven safe during pregnancy. To ensure the health of your baby, abstain from alcohol entirely.
Alcohol consumption during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth, and fetal alcohol syndrome. Fetal alcohol syndrome can lead to facial deformities and reduced intelligence.
If you’re concerned about alcohol consumed before realizing you were pregnant or require assistance in stopping drinking, consult your healthcare professional.
Navigating pregnancy can be overwhelming, but understanding what foods pregnant women should avoid is a critical step towards ensuring a healthy pregnancy. Consult your healthcare provider for personalized dietary advice tailored to your specific needs.
