Foods to Avoid in Pregnancy

You may wonder what is on the list of foods to avoid in pregnancy. Sometimes you might feel like it's a long list, but here are the basics:

Don't Eat

• Raw Meat
  Raw meat can infect you with salmonella or toxoplasmosis. Foods to avoid include: sushi, rare meats.

• Soft Cheeses
  Because of the way these cheeses are made, they may contain harmful bacteria. Unpasteurized cheeses include: brie, feta, Camambert, bleu cheese, queso blanco, queso fresco etc. More information on cheese in pregnancy.

• Raw Eggs
  Salmonella is the risk from raw egg. Foods to avoid include: cake batter, raw cookie dough, homemade ice cream, custards, mayo, egg nog or Hollandaise sauce.

• Fish: Mercury
  Mercury can be harmful to you baby because it can lead to brain damage. Foods to avoid: tilefish, king mackerel shark and sword fish. More information on fish in pregnancy.

• Fish: PCBs
  Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) is associated with memory difficulties and lower IQs. Fish included in the PCB warning include: bluefish, stripped bass, salmon, pike, trout, walleye. (This may be a regional warning since some of these are fresh water fish. Know where your fish comes from and who to ask.)

Foods That Require Special Attention

• Deli Meats
  Due to the risk of listeriosis, you will want to ensure that all deli meats are thoroughly reheated, this includes hot dogs. The internal temperature of the meat should be 165 degrees.

• Liver
  Excessive amounts of vitamin A in non-beta-carotene form can cause birth defects. The food in this category is liver.

_{Source:
Food Safety Checklist for Pregnancy Food and Drug Administration.}