CDC: "Preventing Health Risks Associated with Drinking Unpasteurized or Untreated Juice," "Listeriosis." Show Colorado State University Extension: "Food Safety During Pregnancy." Environmental Protection Agency: "What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish." FDA: “Safe Eats -- Dairy & Eggs," "Safe Eats -- Eating Out and Bringing In," "Safe Eats -- Fruits, Veggies & Juices," "Safe Eats -- Meat, Poultry & Seafood," "Safe Eats -- Ready-to-Eat-Foods," "While You’re Pregnant -- Listeria," "While You’re Pregnant -- Toxoplasma," "While You're Pregnant -- Methylmercury." FoodSafety.gov: "Milk, Cheese, and Dairy Products." Greenberg, J. Reviews in Obstetrics & Gynecology, fall 2008. March of Dimes: "Food-borne Risks in Pregnancy," "Caffeine in Pregnancy," "Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy." MedlinePlus: "Fish Oil." News release, U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety & Inspection Service. USDA: "USDA Revises Recommended Cooking Temperature for All Whole Cuts of Meat, Including Pork, to 145 ºF." When you're pregnant, everything that goes into your mouth gets shared with your growing baby. Even though some types of foods and even some types of food poisoning may not hurt you, they may harm your little one. To avoid food poisoning, be careful not to eat any food left out of the refrigerator for more than two hours (or more than one hour in hot weather). Be sure to limit caffeine to 200 mg a day (one 12-ounce cup of coffee). And, as you probably know, forget alcohol while your baby is growing inside you. Most foods and drinks are safe to have during pregnancy. But there are some things you should be careful with or avoid. Cheese, milk and other dairy What you can eat
What to avoid
WhyThere's a small chance that unpasteurised or soft ripened dairy products may contain Listeria bacteria. This can cause an infection called listeriosis. Listeriosis can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth, or make your newborn baby very unwell. Soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside have more moisture. This can make it easier for bacteria to grow. Cooking cheese until it's steaming hot kills bacteria, reducing the risk of listeriosis. Meat and poultryWhat you can eat
What to be careful with
What to avoid
WhyThere's a small risk of getting toxoplasmosis if you eat raw and undercooked meat, which can cause miscarriage. Cured meats are not cooked, so they may have parasites in them that cause toxoplasmosis. Liver and liver products have lots of vitamin A in them. This can be harmful to an unborn baby. Game meats may contain lead shot. EggsWhat you can eat
What to avoid
WhyBritish Lion hen eggs and hen eggs produced under the Laid in Britain scheme are less likely to have salmonella in them. Salmonella is unlikely to harm your unborn baby, but you could get food poisoning. You should cook all eggs thoroughly, unless they are British Lion hen eggs or hen eggs produced under the Laid in Britain scheme. FishWhat you can eat
What to be careful with
Important: Smoked fish and listeriaDue to a listeria outbreak linked to smoked fish, people at higher risk of serious infection (including people who are pregnant) should only eat smoked fish products that have been thoroughly cooked. When cooking smoked fish products at home, make sure they are steaming hot all the way through. Find out more about the listeria outbreak in smoked fish from the Food Standards Agency What to limit
Information: Tuna does not count as an oily fishYou can have 2 tuna steaks, or 4 medium-size cans of fish, as well as 2 portions of oily fish. What to avoid
WhyYou should limit tuna because it has more mercury in it than other fish. If you eat too much mercury, it can be harmful to your unborn baby. You should limit oily fish because they can have pollutants such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls in them. If you eat too much of these, they can be harmful to your unborn baby. You should avoid raw shellfish because they can have harmful bacteria, viruses or toxins in them. These can make you unwell and give you food poisoning. Other foods and drinksCaffeineYou can have caffeine, but no more than 200mg per day. There is:
AlcoholDrinking alcohol in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to your baby. If you're pregnant or planning to get pregnant, the safest approach is to not drink alcohol at all. This keeps risks to your baby to a minimum. Herbal teasYou should drink no more than 4 cups of herbal tea a day. LiquoriceLiquorice is safe to eat. But you should avoid liquorice root. Fruits, vegetables and saladsBe careful with fruits, vegetables and salads as they can have soil on them, which can make you unwell. Make sure to thoroughly wash all fruits, vegetables and salad ingredients. PeanutsYou do not need to avoid eating peanuts when you're pregnant. Only avoid eating peanuts if you're advised to by a healthcare professional or if you have a nut allergy. VitaminsDo not take high-dose multivitamin supplements, or any supplements with vitamin A in them. Urgent advice: Call 111 if:
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