What You Should Not Eat During Pregnancy - An Expert Guide

When it comes to pregnancy, we always advise eating this and that for better health of the expecting mother and the growth of the fetus. Besides that, certain foods must be strictly avoided during pregnancy. Ignoring this could lead to complications that we will later think why this has happened. Even the Best Gynecologist in Greater Kailash strikes off having the below-mentioned food during pregnancy. Let us see what and why.

Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

High Mercury Fish

Mercury is a toxin that is generally found in polluted water. Fish containing mercury levels could be harmful not only during pregnancy but also to others. There is no safe level of mercury exposure and in higher amounts, it can affect our nervous system, kidneys, and immune system. If consumed during pregnancy, it could lead to developmental defects in the children. Even doctors advise avoiding high mercury fish during breastfeeding as well. Some fishes that you must avoid include:

• Shark
• Bigeye tuna
• King mackerel
• Swordfish
• Orange roughy

Undercooked, Raw, and Processed Meat

We often think that eating raw or processed meat during pregnancy will fulfill the baby's and mother's protein requirements. But do you know that raw or processed meat can increase the risk of infection to the expecting mother and the fetus? Yes, you’ve read that right. The chances of bacterial or parasitic infections become high, especially Toxoplasma, Listeria, E.coli, and Salmonella. This could lead to neurological problems in the fetus or even stillbirth. Other severe complications like epilepsy and blindness may also be there. So, avoid eating undercooked, raw, and processed meat during pregnancy.

Unpasteurized Foods

Dairy products are an important part of our daily diet and even during pregnancy. Anything having pasteurized milk like cottage cheese, skim milk, mozzarella cheese, and others can provide much-needed benefits to our bodies. While on the other hand, products containing unpasteurized milk like soft cheese, unpasteurized juice, or others could increase thfoodbornefood-borne diseases. So, before having dairy products during pregnancy, make sure they are labeled “made from pasteurized milk.”

Raw Eggs

Here, we mean raw eggs and products containing raw eggs. This is because they can be contaminated with salmonella and it might cause premature or stillbirth. Other symptoms of the bacteria may include fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps.

The foods containing raw eggs may include:

• Poached eggs
• Homemade ice creams
• Homemade mayonnaise
• Homemade cake icings
• Lightly scrambled eggs

Raw Sprouts

Just like eggs, raw sprouts like clover, mung bean, radish, and alfalfa may also be contaminated with salmonella. Hence, they must be eaten cooked.

Besides all these, other foods that you must avoid include unwashed veggies fruits, alcohol, junk foods, caffeine, and organ meat. To know more, contact Dr. Ruchi Tandon, the best pregnancy doctor in Greater Kailash.