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Food during pregnancy
Science tells us that what someone eats while pregnant impacts the baby’s future health. The father contributes to this too, as his nutritional status at conception (when your baby is formed) will influence how the placenta is formed.

Food to be careful with or avoid

Dairy products to avoid
- foods made from unpasteurised milk, such as soft-ripened goats’ cheese
- pasteurised or unpasteurised mould-ripened soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside, such as brie, camembert and chèvre
- pasteurised or unpasteurised soft blue cheeses, such as Danish blue, gorgonzola and Roquefort
- unpasteurised cows’ milk, goats’ milk, sheep’s milk or cream

wHy?
There’s a small chance that dairy products that are unpasteurised or soft-ripened may contain a bacteria called listeria. This can lead to an infection called listeriosis.
Listeriosis can cause miscarriage or stillbirth, or make your baby very unwell after birth. Soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside usually have more moisture. This creates an ideal environment for bacteria to grow. However, cooking cheese until it’s steaming hot kills off the bacteria and reduces the risk of listeriosis.

Meat and Poultry
What to be careful with
- meats that are cold cured, such as salami, pepperoni, chorizo and prosciutto (unless cooked thoroughly)
What to avoid
- meat that is raw or undercooked
- liver and any liver products
- all types of pâté, including vegetarian pâté
- game meats such as goose, partridge or pheasant

wHy?
If you eat raw and undercooked meat, there’s a small risk of getting an infection called toxoplasmosis which can cause miscarriage. You can catch toxoplasmosis from the poo of cats that are carrying the infection or meat products that have been infected. The infection is usually harmless and people tend to recover well without any significant problems. However, for pregnant people it can cause serious problems for the baby. Meats that are cured rather than cooked have a greater chance of carrying parasites which cause toxoplasmosis.
Liver and liver products contain high levels of vitamin A, which can harm a developing baby. Once you know the risks with certain food groups it often becomes easy to plan meals and make choices based on what is best for you and your baby’s health. It is advised that game meats such as pheasant, quail, and rabbit should also be avoided as they could contain lead shot (small pieces of lead fired from a shotgun).

Eggs
What to avoid
- raw or partially cooked hen eggs that are not British Lion stamped or produced under the Laid in Britain scheme
- raw or partially cooked duck, goose or quail eggs

wHy?
British Lion hen eggs and hen eggs produced under the Laid in Britain scheme are less likely to have salmonella in them. Salmonella is a group of germs that cause food poisoning, with typical symptoms that include sickness, diarrhoea and fever. It is unlikely that your unborn baby will be harmed by salmonella infection, but the illness is unpleasant and potentially exhausting for you. To avoid any risk of infection it is advised that all eggs should be cooked thoroughly.

Fish
What to limit
- It is recommended that you should eat no more than two portions of oily fish a week, such as salmon, trout, mackerel or herring.
- You are advised to eat no more than two tuna steaks (about 140g cooked or 170g raw) or four medium-size cans of tuna (about 140g when drained) per week.

What to avoid
- swordfish
- marlin
- shark
- raw shellfish
- cold-smoked or cured fish (for example smoked salmon or gravlax, including in sushi), unless it has been cooked until steaming hot

wHy?
Ready-to-eat cold-smoked or cured fish is best avoided, as there is a chance it could be contaminated with listeria bacteria. These bacteria can cause an infection called listeriosis, which can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth, or make your newborn baby seriously ill. Only cooking smoked or cured fish until it’s steaming hot will effectively kill any bacteria that may be present.
Tuna has higher levels of mercury in it, more so than other fish, so limiting your tuna intake is advised to ensure your baby is not receiving too much mercury, which could be harmful.
Oily types of fish have a higher chance of being contaminated with dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls. Eating too many of these is bad for your unborn baby’s health.
Raw shellfish such as oysters could contain bacteria, viruses or toxins. By avoiding them you have a lower chance of getting food poisoning and being unwell.

Caffeine
During pregnancy you can consume caffeine, but not too much. The recommended amount is no more than 200mg per day to be safe, as frequently drinking more than this amount can increase your risk of pregnancy complications such as your baby being born much smaller than is normal. Some evidence suggests there is a chance of miscarriage.
There is:
- 100mg in a mug of instant coffee
- 140mg in a mug of filter coffee
- 75mg in a mug of tea (green tea can have the same amount of caffeine as regular tea)
- 40mg in a can of cola
- 80mg in a 250ml can of energy drink
- less than 25mg in a 50g bar of plain dark chocolate
- less than 10mg in a 50g bar of plain milk chocolate

Herbal teas
The caffeine content in herbal tea is not consistent and different brands and types of tea have varying amounts of caffeine in them or no caffeine at all. It is best to check the label on the packet for ingredients to be sure of the amount of caffeine they contain.
The type of herb used in the tea will affect the caffeine content and its suitability for drinking during pregnancy. Some herbs are considered unsafe during pregnancy if consumed in large amounts, especially during weeks 1 to 12. To stay safe, drink no more than 1-2 cups of herbal tea a day during your pregnancy and, if you are concerned, talk to your midwife.
Why not create your own herbal tea by adding a slice of lemon and some mint leaves to a cup of hot water?

Alcohol
Our advice is to avoid drinking alcohol now that you are pregnant. We know that for some it can lead to long term health conditions for your baby.
Try not to worry if you drank alcohol before you knew you were pregnant. The risk of harm to your baby is likely to be low. The main thing is to stop drinking as soon as you can. Cutting alcohol from your diet as soon as possible will lower the risk of harm to your baby.
When you drink alcohol during pregnancy it passes from your blood and through the placenta to your baby. There is no known safe level for drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
An unborn baby does not have a developed liver and it is unable to process the alcohol causing serious developmental problems such as foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
FASD is a lifelong condition and will impact your child’s development and way of life forever.
FASD can cause problems with:
- learning and behaviour
- joints, bones, muscles and some organs
- managing emotions and developing social skills
- hyperactivity and impulse control
- communication, such as problems with speech
The safest option is not to drink any alcohol at all if you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant. If you’re finding it hard to stop drinking, talk to your midwife or doctor. You can be honest with them if you’re concerned that you cannot stop. They are there to support you, not judge you, and to get you the extra help you need to stop drinking alcohol.
Confidential help and support is also available from different organisations, including:
- Drinkaware run a national alcohol helpline. If you’re worried about your own drinking, or someone else’s, call this free helpline on 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).
- We Are With You is a UK-wide treatment agency that helps individuals, families and communities manage the effects of alcohol and drug misuse.
- Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a free self-help group. Its “12-step” programme involves getting sober with the help of regular support groups.
Find your nearest alcohol support services
Read more advice about cutting down your drinking

Liquorice
Liquorice is considered safe to eat during pregnancy. However, liquorice root should be avoided as it contains a high level of an extract called glycyrrhizin. Large amounts of glycyrrhizin in your diet are linked to negative long-term effects in children whose parents had consumed the extract during pregnancy.

Peanuts
Peanuts are safe to eat during pregnancy and you do not need to avoid them unless you have a nut allergy, or you have been advised not to by a healthcare professional.

Vitamins
Taking vitamin supplements during pregnancy is of huge benefit to both you and your baby. It is important that you always choose supplements that are designed for pregnancy as high dose multivitamin supplements or any supplements containing vitamin A can be harmful.
The two supplements recommended during pregnancy are folic acid and vitamin D3. If you are trying to conceive, folic acid is particularly beneficial, especially if taken 12 weeks before you become pregnant. These can be taken as individual supplements or as a pregnancy or pre-pregnancy multivitamin.
You may qualify for the government’s Healthy Start scheme if you’re on a low income. This entitles you to free supplements. Ask your midwife or GP for more details or click here.

Food hygiene
Practicing good food hygiene is particularly important during pregnancy to reduce the chance of becoming unwell. Bacteria and viruses may be present in food and food preparation areas, so remember that certain food types need more attention during preparation. Fruits, vegetables and salads can have soil on them which could be contaminated so wash them thoroughly. Maintain clean work surfaces and wash your hands before and during food preparation. Make sure that when handling raw meat you take care not to contaminate other foods or surfaces. Finally, make sure food is cooked properly and according to the instructions provided to lower the risk of food poisoning.