Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is the most delicate and crucial stage for a woman. If you’re expecting, you should be wary of consuming food items as some of them can wreak havoc on gestation. Consult your gynaecologist if you’re not aware of what not to eat during pregnancy.

High Mercury Fish
High mercury fish is inimical as these fish thrive in contaminated seas. It can affect the nervous system, kidneys, lungs and liver. High mercury fish include Swordfish and Tuna. However, you can have cold water fish such as Sardines and Salmon. Eating fish during gestation is imperative as it contributes to the development of the brain.

Undercooked and Processed Fish
Undercooked or raw fish, especially shellfish is highly deleterious to your health if you’re expectant. You’re pregnable to infections like listeria and parasites that can quickly transmit to an unborn baby without showing any symptoms. This may lead to premature delivery, miscarriage and stillbirth. Similarly, avoid having raw and processed meat.

Caffeine
You might be habitual of consuming coffee and tea to toss out your stress and feel a bit relaxed. Caffeine quickly dissolves into your bloodstream that raises blood pressure and heart rate, which is not salutary in pregnancy. It causes frequent urination that leads to the reduction in your as well as your baby’s fluids. Moreover, your baby’s metabolism is not still matured so it can’t digest caffeine. High caffeine intake restricts fetal growth and increases the risk of low birth rate.

Unpasteurised Milk and Soft Cheese
Raw milk and soft cheese are not salubrious for you during pregnancy. They contain harmful bacteria such as Listeria, E. coli and Salmonella that can be destroyed only if they are properly boiled and cooked. Don’t drink milk unless it’s pasteurised and eat only cooked cheese. However, you can eat hard cheese as it doesn’t contain water like softy cheese, so they are less likely to harbour bacteria.

Alcohol
Stop the consumption of alcohol immediately when you get to know about your pregnancy as it can hinder the development of your baby. It can also cause fetal alcohol syndrome. The symptoms include facial deformities, mental retardation and heart defects.

Junk Food or Refined Grains
Junk food contains nothing but empty calories. When you eat processed food such as chips, burgers etc, your blood sugar level rises pronto, and a few minutes later it drops down rapidly. This impairs blood sugar stability. Secondly, during the gestation, your baby needs nutrients to grow well. So eat fruits, green vegetables and whole-grain food.

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