Foods to avoid in pregnancy

Foods to avoid in pregnancy

There are some foods to avoid or take care with when you’re pregnant as they might make you ill or harm your baby.
Make sure you know the important facts about which foods you should avoid or take precautions with when you’re pregnant.

Cheeses to avoid in pregnancy
Soft cheeses
 Don’t eat mould-ripened soft cheese (cheeses with a white rind) such as brie and camembert. This includes mould-ripened soft goats’ cheese, such as chèvre. These cheeses are only safe to eat in pregnancy if they’ve been cooked.

Soft blue cheeses
You should also avoid soft blue-veined cheeses such as danish blue, gorgonzola and roquefort. Soft blue cheeses are only safe to eat in pregnancy if they’ve been cooked.
It’s advised pregnant women avoid some soft cheeses because they’re less acidic than hard cheeses and contain more moisture, which means they can be an ideal environment for harmful bacteria, such as listeria, to grow in.
Although infection with listeria (listeriosis) is rare, it’s important to take special precautions in pregnancy – even a mild form of the illness in a pregnant woman can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or severe illness in a newborn baby.

Cheeses that are safe to eat in pregnancy

All hard cheeses are safe in pregnancy
You can eat hard cheeses, such as cheddar, parmesan and stilton, even if they’re made with unpasteurised milk. Hard cheeses don’t contain as much water as soft cheeses, so bacteria are less likely to grow in them. It’s possible for hard cheese to contain listeria, but the risk is considered to be low.
Soft cheeses that are safe to eat in pregnancy

Cooked soft cheeses that are safe to eat in pregnancy
Thorough cooking should kill any bacteria in cheese, so it should be safe to eat cooked mould-ripened soft cheese, such as brie, camembert and chèvre, and cooked soft blue cheese, such as roquefort or gorgonzola, or dishes that contain them.
It’s important to make sure the cheese is thoroughly cooked until it’s steaming hot all the way through.

Avoid some raw or partially cooked eggs if you’re pregnant

Avoid eating raw eggs or food that contains slightly cooked eggs (such as soft boiled eggs, pancakes, and fresh mayonnaise).

Be sure to cook the eggs thoroughly
until the eggs and yolks are solid to prevent the risk of food poisoning with salmonella.It is unlikely that food poisoning with salmonella will harm your baby, but it may give you a severe bout of diarrhea and vomiting.

Pâté in pregnancy
Avoid all types of pâté, including vegetable pâtés, as they can contain listeria.

Raw or undercooked meat is risky in pregnancy
Do not eat raw or undercooked meat, including meat joints and steaks cooked rare, because of the potential risk of toxoplasmosis.
Cook all meat and poultry thoroughly so it’s steaming hot and there’s no trace of pink or blood – especially with poultry, pork, sausages and minced meat, including burgers.
Wash all surfaces and utensils thoroughly after preparing raw meat to avoid the spread of harmful bugs. Wash and dry your hands after touching or handling raw meat.
Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasite found in raw and undercooked meat, unpasteurised goats’ milk, soil, cat poo, and untreated water.
If you’re pregnant, the infection can damage your baby, but it’s important to remember toxoplasmosis in pregnancy is very rare.

Be cautious with cold cured meats in pregnancy
Many cold meats, such as salami, prosciutto, chorizo and pepperoni, are not cooked, they’re just cured and fermented. This means there’s a risk they 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 or fermented meats for 4 days at home before you eat them. Freezing kills most parasites and makes the meat safer to eat.
If you’re planning to cook the meat – for instance, pepperoni on pizza – you don’t need to freeze it first.
If you’re eating out in a restaurant that sells cold cured or fermented meats, they may not have been frozen. If you’re concerned, ask the staff or avoid eating it.

Liver can harm your unborn baby
Don’t eat liver or products containing liver, such as liver pâté, liver sausage or haggis, as they may contain a lot of vitamin A. Too much vitamin A can harm your baby..

Fish in pregnancy

You can eat most types of fish when you’re pregnant. Eating fish is good for your health and the development of your baby, but you should avoid some types of fish and limit the amount you eat of some others.

Fish to avoid
When you’re pregnant or planning to get pregnant, you shouldn’t eat shark, swordfish or marlin.
Fish to restrict
You should also limit the amount of tuna you eat )
This is because tuna contains more mercury than other types of fish. amount of mercury we get from food isn’t harmful for most people, but could affect your baby’s nervous system.
Smoked fish in pregnancy is safe
Smoked fish, which includes smoked salmon and smoked trout, is considered safe to eat in pregnancy. ..

Milk and yoghurt in pregnancy
Stick to pasteurised or ultra-heat treated (UHT) milk, which is sometimes called long-life milk.
If only raw (unpasteurised) milk is available, boil it first. Don’t drink unpasteurised goats’ or sheep’s milk, or eat foods made from them, such as soft goats’ cheese.
All types of yoghurt, including bio, live and low fat, are fine. Just check that any homemade yoghurt is made with pasteurised milk, and, if not, avoid it.

Ice cream in pregnancy
Soft ice creams should be fine to eat when you’re pregnant, as they are processed products made with pasteurised milk and eggs, so any risk of salmonella food poisoning has been eliminated.
For homemade ice cream, use a pasteurised egg substitute or follow an egg-free recipe.

Foods with soil on them
Wash fruit, vegetables and salads to remove all traces of soil and visible dirt.

Should I avoid caffeine in pregnancy?
High levels of caffeine can result in babies having a low birthweight, which can increase the risk of health problems in later life. Too much caffeine can also cause miscarriage.
Caffeine is naturally found in lots of foods, such as coffee, tea and chocolate, and is added to some soft drinks and energy drinks.
Green tea can contain the same amount of caffeine as regular tea.
Some cold and flu remedies also contain caffeine. Talk to your midwife, doctor or pharmacist before taking these remedies.
You don’t need to cut out caffeine completely, but don’t have more than 200mg a day