Nutritional choices made during pregnancy significantly affect the growth and development of the baby and the overall health of the mother. While focusing on the adequacy of both micronutrients and macronutrients, it is equally important to know what foods and drinks to avoid to help reduce the risk of pregnancy complications. This article provides the list of foods, drinks and contaminants to avoid to protect the mother and her developing child.
Crude Proteins
Raw or unprocessed animal protein can contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious infections during pregnancy. These infections can increase the risk of miscarriage complications, premature birth and poor fetal development. The following is a list of foods to avoid for a healthy pregnancy.
- Raw or undercooked meat
- Ready-to-eat processed meats
- Raw or uncooked fish such as sushi, ceviche, oysters
- Raw or boiled eggs or egg products such as homemade mayonnaise, hollandaise sauce, tiramisu or raw cookie dough
Organ meats
Chicken liver is a rich source of preformed vitamin A (retinol). Regular addition of such species to the pregnancy diet may carry risks of hepatic hypervitaminosis A or vitamin A toxicity. The developing fetus may develop severe congenital birth defects, cleft palate, and congenital heart disease due to malformations of the cardiac outflow tract and malformations of the central nervous system.
High mercury seafood
Contamination of food with methylmercury has the potential to lead to serious consequences for the cognitive and motor development of the newborn. Babies with microcephaly, significant cognitive delays, even cerebral palsy. Some have significant delays in learning to speak.
The following fish are considered unsafe to eat during pregnancy because they carry this neurotoxin:
- Swordfish
- King Mackerel
- tilefish
- Bigeye tuna
Unpasteurized milk
Unpasteurized milk and dairy products such as cheese, especially Brie, Camembert, Feta, Roquefort and Queso Fresco, are common sources of Listeria. Such objects naturally reach the list of unhealthy foods during pregnancy.
Unwashed Fruits and Vegetables
Fresh fruits and vegetables support the healthy development of the fetus. However, unwashed fruits and vegetables are among them foods you should not eat during pregnancyas they may carry toxoplasma or E.coli. Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly before peeling them. Scrub the outer skin of vegetables and fruits to remove surface pathogens. Thoroughly soak and rinse lettuce, spinach and other leafy greens, remove stems and remove bruises from fresh fruit before eating to protect against potential illness.
Avoid raw sprouts because they may contain harmful bacteria that cannot be washed out.:
- Alfalfa sprouts
- The clover sprouts
- Radish sprouts
- Mung sprouts
Raw cabbages should be cooked thoroughly before eating.
Alcohol
There is no established safe lower limit for alcohol or ethanol consumption during pregnancy
The alcohol passes directly to your baby, whose body cannot process it. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage, poor growth, premature birth, and lifelong developmental problems, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
The safest option is to completely avoid alcohol throughout pregnancy.
Caffeine
THE pregnancy diet restrictions in the frequent coffee breaks they are not worthy. Caffeine can easily pass through the placenta from mother to baby. Too much caffeine can increase the risk of miscarriage, low birth weight and restricted fetal growth. Try to limit your caffeine intake to no more than 200 mg per daywhich is about a regular cup of coffee.
Processed foods
Highly processed foods, refined sugars and trans fatty acids are exactly the foods that pregnant women should avoid. They are directly associated with an increased risk of excessive gestational weight gain, preeclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Diabetes can lead to fetal macrosomia, where the baby is larger than average. Fetal macromelia often increases the risk for birth injury and shoulder dystocia during labor and delivery. In addition, highly processed foods and diets high in trans fatty acids lack essential micronutrients (eg, folate, iron, and calcium) needed to provide healthy maternal and fetal physiology.
Conclusion
When planning a pregnancy diet, it is important to identify any biological, chemical or nutritional hazards associated with foods. Expectant parents should consult with their healthcare provider or dietitian to develop an individualized pregnancy nutrition plan. Only well-balanced meals meet the specific needs of pregnant women, ensuring a healthy pregnancy.
