There are many myths and misconceptions as to what pregnant women should be eating and what they should not be eating during pregnancy. Women should not allow this to become an overwhelming concern so much so that they view pregnancy to be a time of restrictive diets.
Supplements for pregnant women
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The best advice for pregnant women would be to continue to take their daily dose of prenatal multivitamins, fish oil (in the form of DHA for fetal brain development) and calcium/vitamin D supplements (for fetal bone growth and mothers' breast milk production).
As for folic acid, the recommendation is to start taking folic acid at least 1 month before conceiving and for the first 3 months into pregnancy. This has been shown to reduce the risk of neural tube defects and hence miscarriage in the first trimester. These should be sufficient to replenish the daily dietary essentials for their developing fetus and themselves.
Foods to avoid during pregnancy
Aside from this, pregnant women should aim to try to have a well-balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, meat (without the fat, of course) and to reduce sugar intake (to reduce the risk of gestational diabetes).
Pregnant women are strongly advised to avoid:
- smoking,
- drinking alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages (may contain higher ethanol level [1] than indicated),
- eating raw foods,
- caffeine,
- and smelly soft cheeses.
- Limit consumption of organ meat
as these increase the risk of food poisoning which can potentially have detrimental effects on the developing fetus.
Risks Involved
If you do not avoid these activities and food as mentioned above, you may get the following risks:
- listeria (unpasteurised food, ALL soft cheeses, pre-cut fruits, etc)
- general risk of infection e.g. cross-contamination (danger of pets on the kitchen surface, processed meat, etc)
- mercury in fish (certain fish should be limited)
- salmonella (i.e. medium steak, soft-boiled eggs, raw sprouts, etc)
- heartburn
- Health problems for developing babies e.g. preterm birth, low birth weight, and birth defects of the mouth and lip [2]
- SIDS aka sudden infant death syndrome (consumption of tobacco)
Risks Prevention
In order to have a healthy pregnancy, it is best that you:
- Cook your food properly
- Eat completely cooked food
- Wash your food properly
- Proper hygiene in the kitchen e.g. Pets on the kitchen surface
References:
1. Adiong JP, Kim E, Koren G, Bozzo P. Consuming non-alcoholic beer and other beverages during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien. 2014;60(8):724-725. Accessed December 9, 2019.
2.Substance Use During Pregnancy. Published 2019. Accessed December 9, 2019.
