Navigating the guidelines for dietary choices during pregnancy can be perplexing, but it boils down to a handful of crucial principles aimed at ensuring the safety of both you and your baby.
Giving in to temptations like sashimi, rare steak, raw cookie dough, and fresh-squeezed orange juice can be challenging, but it’s crucial to exercise restraint during pregnancy, as the risk of food poisoning is significantly higher. Pregnant women face a tenfold increased likelihood of contracting listeriosis, a relatively common form of foodborne illness.
Improperly prepared, cooked, or stored foods may harbor harmful bacteria and parasites such as Listeria, Toxoplasma gondii, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter, and E. coli. These microorganisms can cause severe illness during pregnancy, potentially affecting the baby even if the mother doesn’t experience any noticeable symptoms. Additionally, substances in certain foods and beverages pose risks to the developing fetus, with alcohol and mercury being examples that can cause long-term harm.
Despite these concerns, there’s no need to scrutinize every food choice excessively. The list of foods to avoid during pregnancy is relatively short. While issues related to foodborne illnesses during pregnancy can be serious, they are rare occurrences; for instance, in the United States, only 1,600 people are affected by listeriosis each year, and toxoplasmosis affects 1 to 2 per 10,000 live births.
Feel free to indulge in most of your favorite treats, whether it’s a thoroughly cooked cheddar cheeseburger or a freshly baked cookie. Just be mindful of specific foods and beverages to either skip or consume with caution while pregnant.
1. Raw or undercooked meat, seafood, and poultry
The primary concern associated with consuming raw and undercooked meat and seafood during pregnancy revolves around the parasite Toxoplasma, which poses a risk of infecting the unborn baby and leading to serious health complications. Raw foods may also harbor other bacteria known to cause food poisoning, including E. coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter. Common items to steer clear of include seared or raw fish, raw oysters, and undercooked burgers.
To mitigate these risks, opt for well-done meat and fully cooked seafood when ordering. When preparing food at home, utilize a food thermometer and ensure that various meats reach the recommended temperatures:
- Beef, veal, pork, and lamb: 145 degrees F
- Ground meats: 160 degrees F
- Poultry: 165 degrees F
- Fish: 145 degrees F, or until the flesh flakes easily with a fork
- Shellfish: cook until shells open
- Shrimp, lobster, crab: cook until flesh is opaque and pearly white
An additional precautionary measure is to freeze meats, poultry, and seafood at sub-zero temperatures for a few days before cooking, significantly reducing the risk of infection.
2. Runny or undercooked eggs
Hold off on indulging in that tempting spoonful of brownie batter or eggs over-easy until after pregnancy, as foods containing runny or undercooked eggs may be susceptible to Salmonella contamination.
During pregnancy, ensure eggs are cooked until the yolks are firm, and make certain that dishes incorporating eggs, such as frittatas, stratas, quiche, and bread pudding, reach a temperature of 160 degrees F.
Exercise caution with sauces made from raw eggs, which, while uncommon, could be encountered in homemade Caesar salad dressing, béarnaise, hollandaise sauce, or mayonnaise, whether at a restaurant or a friend’s house. If you’re preparing a dish that requires raw eggs and won’t be cooked, like a sauce or spread, opt for a pasteurized egg product. Furthermore, if you find yourself making cookie dough or cake batter with raw eggs, resist the temptation to sample it before it’s fully cooked.
3. Deli meats and prepared salads
Temporarily, your beloved deli sandwich and potato salad need to be excluded from the menu, unless you can heat them until they’re steaming hot (which effectively eliminates any harmful germs). Refrigerated meats and deli salads are susceptible to contamination with Listeria.
Exercise caution with the following items, unless they are heated to 165 degrees F:
- Deli meats of any kind, including ham, turkey, roast beef, hot dogs, bologna, prosciutto, and pâté
- Dry, uncooked sausages, such as salami and pepperoni
- Smoked or pickled fish, like lox or whitefish
- Meat spreads and deli salads, such as coleslaw, potato salad, ham salad, and seafood salad
While canned, shelf-stable meats and seafood are generally safe to consume, be mindful that these products often contain high amounts of sodium. Therefore, it’s advisable to consume them sparingly during pregnancy.
4. High-mercury fish
Incorporating fish into your diet during pregnancy is a wise choice, given its rich content of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and various essential vitamins and minerals crucial for supporting your baby’s brain development and overall health. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) even recommends that expecting mothers consume 8 to 12 ounces (two to three servings) of fish per week.
Nevertheless, it’s important to be cautious as certain fish harbor elevated levels of mercury, which can potentially impair a developing baby’s brain and nervous system. Fish to steer clear of during pregnancy include:
- King mackerel
- Marlin
- Orange roughy
- Shark
- Swordfish
- Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico)
- Bigeye tuna
The FDA provides a useful chart outlining fish choices for pregnant women. Ideally, strive for two to three servings of fish from the “best” category per week or one serving from the “good” category. Some excellent low-mercury fish options include salmon, shrimp, pollock, tilapia, and trout.
5. Unpasteurized (raw) milk and soft cheese
Pasteurization is a process that effectively eliminates harmful bacteria commonly found in raw milk, including Campylobacter, E. coli, Salmonella, and Listeria. To ensure the safety of both you and your baby during pregnancy, it is essential to consistently opt for pasteurized milk.
Similar to raw milk, unpasteurized soft cheese carries the risk of Listeria contamination. Fortunately, nearly all cheese available in the United States, including soft cheese, is crafted using pasteurized milk, rendering it safe for consumption during pregnancy.
However, it’s important to note that certain artisanal, farmer’s market, or imported cheeses may not undergo pasteurization. When purchasing soft cheese, always check the label to confirm it explicitly states “made with pasteurized milk.” This precaution applies to cheeses such as feta, Brie, Camembert, fresh mozzarella, blue cheese (like gorgonzola), Limburger, queso blanco, and queso fresco.
In restaurant settings, inquire about the pasteurization status of any soft, uncooked cheese used. If the information is unavailable, it is advisable to err on the side of caution and avoid it.
6. Food that’s been sitting out too long
Bacteria can proliferate rapidly in picnic or buffet settings when the food is either too warm or not warm enough. However, enjoying a picnic or cookout during pregnancy is still possible, provided you remain vigilant about food safety.
To ensure the safety of the food you consume for both you and your baby, maintain cold food on ice at 40 degrees F or below, and keep hot buffet items heated to 140 degrees F (approximately the temperature of a hot cup of coffee). Dispose of any food that has been left out for more than two hours, or reduce the limit to one hour if the food is exposed to temperatures exceeding 90 degrees F. When reheating previously cooked leftovers, ensure they reach steaming temperatures (165 degrees F).
7. Unwashed produce
Bacteria pose a potential threat in unwashed fruits and vegetables. It is crucial to diligently rinse produce under running water before consumption. Store cut fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator or on ice to maintain freshness. Additionally, steer clear of consuming bruised fruits or vegetables, as bruising creates a conducive environment for mold growth and bacterial proliferation.
8. Raw sprouts
While raw sprouts may appear to be a healthy choice, they are unequivocally advised against during pregnancy. Sprouts are cultivated in warm and moist conditions that create an optimal environment for the proliferation of bacteria, including Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli. Moreover, sprouts are typically not subjected to cooking before consumption. It is advisable to steer clear of raw alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts, commonly found in sandwiches and salads, to mitigate the risk of bacterial contamination.
9. Alcoholic beverages
Consuming alcoholic beverages is strictly discouraged during pregnancy due to the passage of alcohol through the placenta to the developing baby. Exposure to alcohol during pregnancy carries the risk of causing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), leading to potential lifelong physical, behavioral, and intellectual disabilities in infants.
While some may have heard suggestions about the acceptability of an occasional drink during pregnancy, it’s important to note that there is no identified safe amount of alcohol during this period. Major health organizations in the U.S. unanimously advocate for complete abstinence from alcohol during pregnancy to safeguard the well-being of both the mother and the developing baby.
10. Fresh-squeezed juice
It is advisable to avoid unpasteurized juice from juice bars, restaurants, or grocery stores during pregnancy. Freshly squeezed juice may harbor E. coli and other bacteria, with documented links to outbreaks of food poisoning.
If you have a strong desire for fresh-squeezed juice, it is safer to prepare it at home. This way, you have control over thoroughly washing the produce before juicing. When purchasing unpasteurized juice from a retailer, the safety of its handling cannot be guaranteed, emphasizing the importance of homemade preparations to ensure hygiene and safety during pregnancy.
11. Too much caffeine
Caffeine has the ability to pass through the placenta to your baby, and some evidence suggests that excessive caffeine intake may heighten the risk of complications, including preterm birth and low birth weight.
Pregnancy can enhance sensitivity to caffeine’s effects, leading to symptoms such as jitteriness, difficulty sleeping, dehydration, indigestion, and nausea.
Experts recommend limiting caffeine intake to no more than 200 mg per day, equivalent to approximately 12 ounces of coffee. It’s crucial to be mindful of the caffeine content in other sources such as tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, and chocolate. Staying within the recommended limit is essential for a healthy pregnancy, and our caffeine chart can assist in tracking your intake throughout the day.
Ultimately, being mindful of these guidelines empowers expectant mothers to nurture a safe and nurturing environment for their developing infants. As always, consulting with healthcare professionals for personalized advice ensures that you navigate this transformative journey with confidence and the best interests of your child at heart.