Pregnancy Food Guide

Nutrition during pregnancy isn’t exactly the same as a “normal” diet. For example, during at least the last six months of pregnancy, women should consume at the minimum 300 additional nutrient-rich calories per day, according to the U.S. Library of Medicine. Ever wonder why eating sushi is considered taboo during pregnancy? Certain foods that are normally considered healthy may be harmful to your growing baby. Here’s why.

Many soft cheeses such as queso blanco, Brie, Camembert and feta are made with unpasteurized milk, and can contain the Listeria monocytogenes bacterium, which causes an infection known as listeriosis that may lead to miscarriage, premature birth or stillbirth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cheeses are up to 160 times more likely to cause listeriosis when made with unpasteurized milk. Some soft cheese labels say they’re made with pasteurized milk, but even these cheeses have caused infections, so it’s better to steer clear.

Some types of fish contain high levels of methylmercury, a neurotoxin that can hurt an unborn baby’s developing nervous system and has been linked with developmental problems. The Food and Drug Administration recommends pregnant women avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. You should also limit sushi, as raw fish is more likely to cause foodborne illnesses.

Deli meats can also become contaminated with Listeria, even though the meat is cooked. That’s because contamination can occur after the meat is cooked but before it’s packaged. According to the CDC, 1,700 cases of Listeria infection occur every year in the United States, and pregnant women and newborns are especially vulnerable.

Alcohol from wine, beer or liquor can easily pass through the placenta to the baby. Exposure to alcohol increases the baby’s risk of developing a birth defect or a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). FASDs include a range of behavioral and developmental problems, including fetal alcohol syndrome. Drinking even small amounts of alcohol while pregnant can lead to fetal harm or death, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

There are few things as delicious as a prime cut of rare steak — the kind with a juicy, ruby-red center. Unfortunately, undercooked meat can contain harmful bacteria, such as salmonella, or a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii that causes toxoplasmosis, a serious blood infection. When toxoplasmosis passes to a fetus, it can cause premature birth, jaundice, developmental disorders and brain damage. Although infections are rare, moms-to-be should make sure their meat is cooked to a safe internal temperature. Use this list as a guide when you’re cooking meat:

• beef, pork, veal, lamb: 145° F
• ground beef, ground pork, ground veal, ground lamb: 160° F
• fish: 145° F
• ground poultry: 165° F
• poultry: 165° F

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