Foods to avoid while pregnant

Food safety is always a concern, but pregnant women need to be especially cautious not to risk their baby's health as well as their own. In an abundance of caution, the following tips apply not only to pregnant women but also to women trying to conceive and nursing mothers.

• Avoid seafood high in mercury – That includes king mackerel, shark, swordfish, tilefish, and tuna. Those species tend to have high levels of mercury, which can harm a developing fetus. While some organizations suggest that it's okay to consume tuna in moderation during pregnancy, our analysis of Food and Drug Administration data as well as our own tests have found white tuna (albacore) to be consistently high and light tuna to have occasional spikes in the mercury content, so we believe it's best to avoid all tuna altogether while pregnant.

• Unless heated until they are very hot, avoid refrigerated smoked seafood such cod, mackerel, salmon, trout, tuna, and whitefish, which are most often labeled as "Nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky".

• Avoid undercooked meat and poultry – Our testing has revealed that most raw chicken is contaminated with bacteria, and that may apply to meat too. Pregnant women may be more susceptible to food poisoning and may suffer more acute symptoms. Thorough cooking and checking the temperature with a thermometer is the best way to kill bacteria, but don't forget about safe food handling in the kitchen; always being careful not to cross contaminate other foods from dirty hands, cutting boards, kitchen utensils, and countertops.

• Avoid deli meats and hot dogs unless they are heated until thoroughly steaming. Those foods can be contaminated with bacteria.

• Avoid soft cheeses – We've been particularly concerned about the recent recalls of some soft cheeses due to contamination with listeria, including blue cheese, brie, Camembert, feta, Roquefort, and Mexican-style cheeses.

• Avoid raw or unpasteurized milk products – These are typically available only from small farms and at farmers markets.

• Don't eat runny eggs – Your eggs should be cooked so that the yolks and whites are firm.  And avoid unpasteurized eggnog, Hollandaise sauce, and meringues.

• Avoid pates and meat spreads, unless they are canned, shelf-stable versions.

• We think you should avoid raw sprouts such as alfalfa sprouts since they harbor bacteria and are difficult to clean.  And make sure you thoroughly wash and rinse all fruits and vegetables before you eat them.

• And one last point:  Talk to your doctor about all medications (prescription and over-the-counter) that you take and whether any are unwise during pregnancy.  And don't take any dietary supplements unless your physician suggests otherwise, although ginger may be okay for morning sickness and nausea. Be sure that you are taking a proper prenatal vitamin supplement, as prescribed by your physician.

-- Don Mays