Being pregnant can be challenging for some women. If you’re about to be a first-time mom, you will notice all the changes in your body right away. First, you will miss your period, experiencing light spotting, get nauseous that may or may not force you to vomit, have food cravings and aversions, and so much more. You will still have most of these dreaded pregnancy symptoms by the second trimester until it slowly ebbs away when you reach the third and final trimester. It’s on the last leg of your pregnancy, where you can sleep, always feel full, and have heartburn!
Once you get pregnant, you will have many questions about your body and what you need to do to nourish yourself and the baby inside you. For example, there are different kinds of food you can’t eat. Like women asking if “can you eat crawfish while pregnant?” You might already know that there are many talks regarding the consumption of crawfish while pregnant. But it’s safe as long as properly cooked. So if you’re wondering what kind of food you need to avoid, here are the top four for you!
Fishes Containing High Mercury
Mercury is a highly toxic element, which you can commonly find in polluted water. It can be dangerous to your nervous system, immune system, and kidneys when ingested in high amounts. Aside from that, it can cause developmental problems in children, while it has adverse effects in lower doses. Some fishes high in mercury are sharks, swordfishes, king mackerel, tuna, tilefish, orange roughy, and marlin. It’s worth noting that not all fishes have high mercury levels, only certain types like the ones listed above.
Raw & Undercooked Fishes
One of the first things that a doctor will tell you not to eat is sushi. It’s because sushi contains raw fish, which can cause several infections. These infections can range from viral to parasitic infections, such as Salmonella, Vibrio, norovirus, and more. Some of these infections may only affect you, but others can be passed to your baby with severe or fatal consequences. And you should know that once you’re pregnant, you’re susceptible to infections.
Processed, Undercooked, & Raw Meat
The issues you get when eating raw fish are the same issues you will experience if you eat raw or undercooked meat. It can increase your risk of infection from bacteria or parasites. Some of these are E. Coli, Salmonella, Listeria, Toxoplasma, and more. It can threaten the life of your baby, such as stillbirth or severe neurological illnesses. So it’s safer if you avoid eating these kinds of food when expecting.
Organ Meat
Organ meat is an excellent source of various nutrients, such as Vitamin A, Iron, Vitamin B12, Zinc, and more. But doctors will advise avoiding eating plant-based Vitamin A. That’s because too much Vitamin A can lead to congenital malformations and even miscarriages in the first trimester. Even though it’s mostly related to Vitamin A supplements, it’s best to stay safe and limit eating organ meats to only a few ounces per week.