Avoid These Foods If You Are Pregnant

Pregnancy is a delicate time in a woman’s life. This is due to the complications that can occur not just on the woman but on the foetus. It is important to do everything possible to avoid putting the woman and the foetus at risk.

It is important to maintain a healthy diet that will guarantee a smooth and healthy time of pregnancy. Here are some foods to avoid during pregnancy:

Raw eggs

Raw eggs. Photo: Natural healthy team

Some food contains raw eggs. Like ice cream, cake icing, also avoid scrambled eggs because they are not as well cooked as hard-boiled eggs.
Raw eggs may be infected with salmonella which affects the mother. In a severe case, this might cause cramps that could result in stillbirth.

High mercury fish

Mercury is poisonous and all pregnant women should avoid eating this. Fish that contain mercury include tuna and mackerel.

Alcohol

Alcohol intake

Pregnant women should avoid alcohol completely. It increases the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. An even small amount can affect the brain development of the child.
It can also cause alcohol dependency syndrome which causes facial deformity in the child or mental retardation.

Processed junk food

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Some women crave junk food when they are pregnant. This contains extra calories that the body does not require. They contain high sugar that can increase the risk of developing diabetes and heart disease.
During pregnancy, the body requires proteins and iron.

Caffeine

Caffeine

High caffeine intake could increase chances of miscarriage and low weight of a child. Caffeine is found in tea, chocolate and energy drinks. Some studies have shown that caffeine can cause premature birth. Other drinks to avoid include soft drinks, diet cola and other carbonated drinks.