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Pregnancy nutrition: Foods to avoid during pregnancy

More foods can affect your health or your baby's than you might realize. Find out what foods to avoid during pregnancy.

By Mayo Clinic staff

You want what's best for your baby. That's why you add sliced fruit to your fortified breakfast cereal, put extra veggies in your favorite recipes and eat yogurt for dessert. But do you know what foods to avoid during pregnancy?

Start with the basics in pregnancy nutrition. Understanding what foods to avoid during pregnancy can help you make the healthiest choices for you and your baby.

Avoid seafood high in mercury

Seafood can be a great source of protein and iron, and the omega-3 fatty acids in many fish can help promote your baby's brain development. In fact, research suggests that skimping on seafood during pregnancy may contribute to poor verbal skills, behavioral problems and other developmental issues during childhood. However, some fish and shellfish contain potentially dangerous levels of mercury. Too much mercury may damage your baby's developing nervous system.

The bigger and older the fish, the more mercury it may contain. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourage pregnant women to avoid:

  • Swordfish
  • Shark
  • King mackerel
  • Tilefish

So what's safe? Some types of seafood contain little mercury. Although concerns have been raised about the level of mercury in any type of canned tuna, the FDA and EPA say pregnant women can safely eat up to 12 ounces (340 grams) a week or two average-sized portions of:

  • Shrimp
  • Canned light tuna (limit albacore tuna and tuna steak to no more than 6 ounces or 170 grams a week)
  • Salmon
  • Pollock
  • Catfish
  • Cod

Avoid raw, undercooked or contaminated seafood

To avoid ingesting harmful bacteria or viruses:

  • Avoid raw fish and shellfish. It's especially important to avoid oysters and clams.
  • Avoid refrigerated smoked seafood, such as lox. It's OK to eat smoked seafood if it's an ingredient in a casserole or other cooked dish. Canned and shelf-stable versions also are safe.
  • Understand local fish advisories. If you eat fish from local waters, pay attention to local fish advisories — especially if water pollution is a concern. Larger game fish contaminated with chemical pollutants may potentially harm a developing baby. If advice isn't available, limit the amount of fish from local waters you eat to 6 ounces (170 grams) a week and don't eat other fish that week.
  • Cook seafood properly. Cook most fish to an internal temperature of 145 F (63 C). The fish is done when it separates into flakes and appears opaque throughout. Cook shrimp, lobster and scallops until they're milky white. Cook clams, mussels and oysters until their shells open. Discard any that don't open.

Avoid undercooked meat, poultry and eggs

During pregnancy, changes in your metabolism and circulation may increase the risk of bacterial food poisoning. Your reaction may be more severe than if you weren't pregnant. Rarely, your baby may get sick, too.

To prevent food-borne illness:

  • Fully cook all meats and poultry before eating. Look for the juices to run clear, but use a meat thermometer to make sure.
  • Cook hot dogs and warm processed deli meats, such as bologna, until they're steaming hot — or avoid them completely. They can be sources of a rare but potentially serious food-borne illness known as listeriosis.
  • Avoid refrigerated pates and meat spreads. Canned and shelf-stable versions, however, are OK.
  • Don't buy raw poultry that's been pre-stuffed. Raw juice that mixes with the stuffing can cause bacterial growth. Frozen poultry that's been pre-stuffed is safe when cooked from its frozen state.
  • Cook eggs until the egg yolks and whites are firm. Raw eggs can be contaminated with the harmful bacteria salmonella. Avoid foods made with raw or partially cooked eggs, such as eggnog and hollandaise sauce.

Avoid unpasteurized foods

Many low-fat dairy products — such as skim milk, mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese — can be a healthy part of your diet. But anything containing unpasteurized milk is a no-no. These products may lead to food-borne illness.

Unless these soft cheeses are clearly labeled as being made with pasteurized milk, don't eat:

  • Brie
  • Feta
  • Camembert
  • Blue cheese
  • Mexican-style cheeses, such as queso blanco, queso fresco and panela

Also, avoid drinking unpasteurized juice.

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References
  1. Food don'ts. The National Women's Health Information Center. http://www.4women.gov/pregnancy/mom-to-be-tools/pregnancy_food_donts.pdf. Accessed March 11, 2009.
  2. Fish facts. The National Women's Health Information Center. http://www.4women.gov/pregnancy/mom-to-be-tools/fish-facts.pdf. Accessed March 11, 2009.
  3. Hibbeln J, et al. Maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood (ALSPAC study): An observational cohort study. The Lancet. 2007;369:578.
  4. What you need to know about mercury in fish and shellfish. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish/advice/. Accessed March 12, 2009.
  5. FDA/EPA advisory on seafood consumption still current. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2006/NEW01382.html. Accessed March 12, 2009.
  6. Fresh and frozen seafood: Selecting and serving it safely. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~acrobat/seafsafe.pdf. Accessed March 12, 2009.
  7. Listeriosis. U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nczved/dfbmd/disease_listing/listeriosis_gi.html. Accessed March 12, 2009.
  8. Food safety for moms-to-be. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~pregnant/safemea.html. Accessed March 12, 2009.
  9. Caffeine in pregnancy. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1148.asp. Accessed March 12, 2009.
  10. Caffeine and pregnancy. Organization of Teratology Information Specialists. http://otispregnancy.org/pdf/caffeine.pdf. Accessed March 12, 2009.  
  11. Red raspberry. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com/(S(xd4acwvqrberie55kn2hidrc))/nd/Search.aspx?cs=MAYO&s=ND&pt=100&id=309&ds=&name=RED+RASPBERRY. Accessed March 12, 2009.
  12. Weng X, et al. Maternal caffeine consumption during pregnancy and the risk of miscarriage: A prospective cohort study. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2008;198:279.
  13. Care study group. Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and risk of fetal growth restriction: A large prospective observational study. British Medical Journal. 2008;337:a2332.
  14. Food-borne risks in pregnancy. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/printableArticles/14332_1152.asp. Accessed March 12, 2009.
  15. Dietary supplement fact sheet: Vitamin A and carotenoids. National Institutes of Health. http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/vitamina.asp. Accessed March 12, 2009.
  16. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1170.asp. Accessed March 13, 2009.
  17. Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. March 18, 2009.

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May 30, 2009

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