Risky Foods During Pregnancy

Cut down fatty foods.

Avoid drinks like coffee, tea, coca colas and other drinks with caffeine. Too much caffeine may affect the growth of baby during pregnancy and at birth.

Caffeine & Pregnancy

Pregnant women who consume caffeine (from tea, cola, chocolate and some prescription drugs) even about a cup of coffee daily are at higher risk of giving birth to an underweight baby, according to the research findings published in the British Medical Journal in Novemebr 2008.

The researchers further found that pregnant women who drink two or more cups of coffee a day are at twice the risk of having a miscarriage as those women who do not take caffeine.

Advice: Reduce caffeine intake before conception and throughout pregnancy. The best advice was to limit caffeine consumption to below 100 milligrams a day, there is no lower limit for which there is no effect,

Avoid Vitamin A supplements as too much may harm your baby growing inside.

Avoid white breads and foods prepared with white flour (maida).

Avoid too much sugar and foods containing sugars.

Nutmeg spice in large quantity to pregnant women may result in miscarriage. Although there is no scientific evidence, some people believe that because pineapple and raw papaya contain enzymes, so they can induce abortion.

Avoid high-mercury sea-foods such as fish, especially Swordfish, Shark, King Mackerel and Tilefish. Raw fish and seafood may contain Listeria, a bacteria that can cause food poisoning and miscarriage or premature birth.

Avoid raw or smoked or frozen seafood such as oysters, sushi, sashimi, smoked oysters and smoked salmon. But canned seafood is safe to eat.Soft cheeses like ricotta without heating or uncooked.

Avoid raw meat such as seafood, sushi, uncooked beef, raw eggs or poultry as these may be contaminated by toxoplasmosis, coliform bacteria,and salmonella. Pre-cooked meat dishes without further heating.

Avoid Salads, readymade or pre-packed, ready-cooked cold meat including chicken.

You should not smoke.

Always consult your doctor about the safety of any drugs you take when pregnant.