Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

July 27th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

In addition to planning your diet carefully to include all the healthy foods you need, you should also be aware of which foods are not considered safe for consumption during pregnancy.

The main reason for a food to be listed as unsafe is bacteria, which could cause serious illness or worse in your baby. Some foods are also linked to birth defects, so make sure these are off your shopping list for the duration of your pregnancy.

Listeria and Salmonella in Foods

One of the most dangerous bacteria for your unborn baby is listeria. This common bacterium is unlikely to harm a grown adult, but for your tiny fetus, it can be lethal. Salmonella is dangerous to both you and the baby, but while you would likely survive a bout with it, your baby might not. Avoid foods that might contain listeria or salmonella, such as:

  • Any food containing unpasteurized milk, such as soft cheeses. Some soft cheeses are made with pasteurized milk – check the label carefully.
  • Any food containing raw eggs, unless the eggs were pasteurized. This can be trickier than you think. Foods that contain raw eggs include some ceasar salad dressings, buttercream frosting and mayonnaise. If the label does not say the eggs were pasteurized, avoid it. Don’t order these foods in restaurants even if the waiter says there are no raw eggs – he could be wrong. If you wish to make these foods yourself, choose pasteurized eggs.
  • Deli meats have been known to be contaminated with listeria. If you wish to consume deli meats, you should heat them until they are steaming to kill off any bacteria. Some doctors now say deli meats, even unheated, are safe as long as they are purchased from a deli with a high turn around so that meat is not sitting long. You should consume deli meats as soon as they are purchased for safety.
  • Pate can also be contaminated with listeria, so avoid it as well.

Fish: What Is Safe and What Is Not

Fish can be an important part of a healthy diet, providing you with a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids as well as many other nutritional benefits. There can be dangers in fish consumption during pregnancy, however, so use caution. Watch out for these dangers when choosing fish:

  • Some fish can be very high in mercury, such as shark and swordfish, and should be avoided. Fish that contain lower levels of mercury, such as tuna, are safe to eat as long as you consume them in moderation.
  • Sushi containing raw fish should be avoided entirely.
  • Smoked seafood options, such as lox, which are purchased from a deli are in danger of listeria contamination, and should be avoided.

Caffeine and Alcohol

While there is some debate as to what is a safe amount of caffeine during pregnancy, there is absolutely no argument that alcohol is unsafe. Currently, there is not considered to be any safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy, especially during the vital first trimester. Some doctors may tell you it’s ok to have a small glass of red wine towards the end of your pregnancy, but you are better off skipping it altogether.

Caffeine in moderate amounts is generally viewed as safe, but new studies have linked caffeine intake during the first trimester with miscarriage. Again, it’s best to err on the side of caution and skip the caffeine altogether. If you really need that boost in the morning, keep it to one cup of coffee, but wait until the second trimester when the risk of miscarriage drops dramatically.

Folic Acid: What it is, and Why it’s Important

Folic Acid: What it is, and Why it’s Important

July 16th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

In recent years, folic acid has been the center of much focus due to the research showing its incredible importance for pregnant women. While everyone needs folic acid for a healthy diet, much of the research studying its effects has centered on the prevention of birth defects, particularly neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

Getting enough folic acid both prior to and during your pregnancy is an absolute must to protect your baby against serious birth defects as well as other problems.

What is folic acid?

Folic acid is actually the synthetic version of a naturally occurring B-vitamin called folate. Thus when it is found in a natural food such as spinach, it is called folate. When it appears as an ingredient in a multivitamin supplement or is added to a food to fortify it, it is called folic acid. The function is the same no matter which form it takes. Folic acid is essential to the production of new cells in the body.

Why is folic acid important to pregnancy?

Recent research has shown that getting at least 400 micrograms of folic acid each day prior to pregnancy, and 600 micrograms during pregnancy, can reduce the occurrence of serious birth defects like spina bifida and anencephaly by 50-70%. While this is the most common benefit discussed in connection with folate, it’s not the only one suggested by the research.

Folic acid is also linked with a lower risk of cleft lip and palate, preterm birth, low birth weight, and preeclampsia in the mother. All of this information has led medical practitioners to recommend a daily supplement of folic acid to all women who are of childbearing age, and especially to those trying to conceive or already pregnant.

Why should it be taken before pregnancy?

The effects of folic acid on preventing birth defects are the strongest when the mother already has the required levels of the vitamin in her system prior to becoming pregnant. Also, many birth defects including those of the spine and brain as well as cleft lip and palate occur very early in pregnancy, often before the mother is even aware she is pregnant. If you wait until your pregnancy is confirmed to start taking folic acid supplements, it could be too late.

Still, even if you have not started taking extra folic acid before discovering your pregnancy, you haven’t lost your chance to reap other benefits from the vitamin. Begin taking a supplement the minute you find out you are pregnant, and you can still avoid problems like premature birth and low birth weight, among others.

Where can I get it?

Most multivitamin supplements for women contain the required amount of folic acid. You should make sure yours has at least 400 micrograms per dose. It’s also a good idea to make sure you add foods containing folic acid to your diet, such as citrus fruits and leafy greens. Try orange juice, spinach and broccoli, as well as foods that have been fortified with folic acid such as cereals and breads. As the popularity of folic acid spreads, more products with the vitamin added are appearing.

Although folic acid has only recently begun making headlines for its importance in pregnancy, it has always been an essential part of a balanced diet. Making it a part of your healthy eating plan will ensure you are healthy as well as ready should a pregnancy occur.

Pre-Pregnancy Folic Acid and Prevention of Birth Defects

Pre-Pregnancy Folic Acid and Prevention of Birth Defects

July 5th, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

While many of us know how important good nutrition is during pregnancy, not everyone is aware of the impact your diet prior to the pregnancy can have on the baby. Of the many steps any woman planning to conceive should take, adding certain nutrients to her diet is one of the most important.

One of these nutrients is folate, a B vitamin that has been shown to help prevent birth defects including neural tube defects such as spina bifida and also cleft lip and palate. Folate has the largest effect on preventing these defects when taken prior to and in the very early stages of pregnancy.

Folate and Folic Acid

Folate is the term used to describe the naturally occurring version of this vitamin in foods such as fruits and vegetables. When you hear the term folic acid, this refers to the synthetic version of the vitamin which is used to fortify foods and also appears in supplements. Thus, when you look for this important nutrient on the list of vitamins in your prenatal supplement, it will appear as folic acid.

How long before pregnancy should folate be increased?

To get the full preventative effects of folate, you should start increasing your intake at least one month prior to pregnancy. However, folate is very good for you, and there is no reason not to increase your intake even if you don’t plan to become pregnant for some time. Not only will it improve your own health, but should a surprise pregnancy occur your body will be ready. It’s a good idea for all women of childbearing age to include extra folate in their diet, or take a supplement that includes folic acid. You should continue to get enough folic acid throughout the first trimester of pregnancy at least, but continuing right through your pregnancy will be good for both you and baby, especially since folate has also been linked with preventing premature birth.

How much folate do I need?

Women should get at least 400 micrograms of folate each day prior to pregnancy, and should increase that amount to 600 micrograms as soon as pregnancy is confirmed. You can get too much folic acid, however, so stick to under 1000 micrograms unless your doctor recommends more due to a history of neural tube defects in previous pregnancies. In this case, a larger dose may be recommended for both the pre-pregnancy period and into the first trimester. Studies have shown this may prevent recurrence of the defect in subsequent pregnancies.

Which foods contain folate?

Folate occurs naturally in lentils, asparagus, broccoli, spinach, citrus fruits such as oranges, and peanuts. It is also often added to cereals, breads, and pasta, so check the label to see if your choice has been fortified with folic acid.

It can be difficult to get enough folate from foods, so women planning to become pregnant should add a supplement containing the recommended amount. Check the label of your multivitamin to make sure it supplies enough folic acid. Prenatal supplements should include folic acid, but be sure the amount is right, and add an extra supplement if necessary to meet your 600 microgram requirement.

The importance of folate to a healthy pregnancy can’t be overstated. It is believed that taking an increased amount of folic acid could prevent up to 70% of neural tube defects in the US. Take this simple step before you are pregnant, to protect your baby even before conception.

The Danger of Smoking During Pregnancy

The Danger of Smoking During Pregnancy

June 21st, 2010 by admin  |  No Comments

We know that it’s a bad habit, but yet many of us pick it up somewhere along the way. There’s nothing cute or glamorous about smoking, but yet many women still can’t kick the habit. It may have been something that you picked up when you were much younger, and have inevitably become addicted to. It may be something that you turn to when you’re stressed or when you’re in a social situation.

The smoking pattern of everyone is quite different, but yet the results are the same. Though we hear it time and time again, we somehow ignore the warnings that smoking is bad for us. We know that there is long term potential risks and danger to our health, but we have such a difficult time in quitting. When it comes to pregnancy however, there has never been a greater reason to quit the bad habit. Though we know that smoking is bad enough for us, it takes things to an exponential high when it comes to smoking during pregnancy. Quitting smoking is what you should do for the baby, and there are many reasons why.

Consider the Risks to Your Pregnancy

Though common sense can tell you what you already know, smoking is inherently bad for you and your baby. If the risks to you alone weren’t enough to get you to quit before, consider what smoking can do to your baby and to your pregnancy. The risks as you can see on a chart like this are numerous and therefore this is something to stand up and take notice of.

During pregnancy, there are a great number of risks that can come about as a result of smoking. If you are worried about maintaining a healthy pregnancy, then smoking is the first thing to cut out. When you smoke, it cuts off oxygen and nutrients that your baby and your placenta need to thrive and survive. When this happens, your baby isn’t getting what it needs. Additionally the placenta will spread out in search of oxygen for the baby and this can lead to placenta previa. In this condition, the placenta can cover up the cervix and this is a huge danger. You contribute to the risks of an ectopic pregnancy, vaginal bleeding, and a displacement of the placenta. These are only the risks present to and during your pregnancy – it does get worse!

Consider the Risks to Your Baby

As if the risks to your pregnancy aren’t enough, consider the actual risks to your unborn child. When a woman is pregnant, she will usually put nothing before the health and safety of her baby. She lives for her baby and does whatever she can to nurture and care for her baby in the womb. When you smoke however, this nurturing isn’t exactly happening.

Smoking can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, low birth weight, and many of these unthinkable consequences of pregnancy which lead to the unthinkable with your baby. You are contributing to possible birth defects such as a cleft lip and may even cause actual breathing problems in your newborn once they are born. Down the road, smoking during pregnancy may even contribute to your child developing asthma. So you can see that the risks far outweigh the necessity to light up. If you ever needed a reason to quit smoking, let the health of your baby be the incentive that you needed.