Foods to avoid while pregnant

Lisa Treiber<treiber@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension - June 29, 2017

There is a lot of information about what to eat while pregnant, but it's also important to follow these guidelines on what not to eat to avoid foodborne illness.

Pregnant women get a lot of information about what they should eat while they are carrying their babies. They are told how important it is to have a balanced diet with a variety of different food. How often are expectant women and their families given advice about what not to eat for food safety reasons?

According to foodsafety.gov, pregnancy affects the immune system of the mom and her unborn baby, making them more susceptible to bacteria, viruses and parasites that cause foodborne illness. It is possible for the baby to become infected by a “bug” like listeria and toxoplasma, causing serious health problems, but the mom may not experience any symptoms. The baby is also sensitive to toxins from food that is consumed by the mom, like mercury in certain kinds of fish.

Here is a table of foods to avoid while pregnant and foods that can replace them:

Foods to avoid	This is Why	Foods to Consume
Raw seafood	May contain parasites or bacteria	Fish cooked to 145 degrees Fahrenheit
Unpasteurized, juice, cider and milk	May contain E.coli or listeria	Pasteurized versions are safer choices
Soft cheese and cheese made from unpasteurized milk	May contain E. coli or listeria	Hard cheese & cheese made with pasteurized milk
Undercooked eggs	May contain salmonella	Eggs with firm yolks
Premade deli salads (egg, pasta, chicken, etc.)	May contain listeria	Make these dishes at home
Raw sprouts	May contain E. coli or salmonella	Cook thoroughly
Cold hot dogs and luncheon meats	May contain listeria	Reheat until 165°F or steaming hot
Undercooked meat and poultry	May contain E. coli, salmonella, campylobacter, toxoplasma gondii	Meat and poultry at or above USDA recommended internal temperatures

For the full checklist, visit the Food Safety website.

An article posted by Michigan State University Extension shares more in-depth information about listeria and pregnancy. It is important for women and their families to understand how sensitive they are to the potential of foodborne illness. Taking precautions, avoiding potentially hazardous foods and practicing food safety may eliminate the risk of food poisoning.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).