Most women have a good idea of what food to avoid while they are pregnant. It is common knowledge that caffeine should be cut back if not all the way out of their diet; they should not smoke, drink alcohol or spend time in any hot tubs. However recent studies have been conducted to determine if pregnant women should avoid certain foods for the duration of their pregnancy.

It is essential that pregnant women eat a well balanced meal at all times to provide their growing baby with the vitamins, nutrients and minerals that the baby needs to grow. There are some foods that need to be avoided due to the risk they pose to not just to the mother, but also to the growing baby.

The first thing to keep in mind is raw cooked meat; this is to due to the risk of toxoplasmosis and salmonella. This means no rare steaks, or burgers. If you are suffering from constipation due to the prenatal vitamins, it is probably a good idea not to eat beef at all, because beef sits in your intestines and bowels for weeks before it is digested and eliminated. This is not set in stone, however, could prove to have several health benefits. Cold deli meat should also be avoided because of the risk of listeria. Listeria can cross the placenta and can cause an infection or blood poisoning to the baby. Heating the deli meat, however, can reduce the risk.

Other foods that contain listeria, are soft cheeses, such as brie, feta, and gorgonzola. The reason is, these cheeses are normally made with non-pasteurized milk, which contains listeria. So make sure that any soft cheeses you eat are made with pasteurized milk.

Eating fish while pregnant has always been up for debate. Some fish contain essential nutrients that are needed by the baby, however other fish have a high level of mercury.
Fish with a high level of mercury such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish and fish used in sushi should be avoided through out pregnancy. Studies have linked mercury to developmental delays and in some cases brain damage. Tuna also contains a lot of mercury but canned, chunk light tuna has a lower amount of mercury and can be eaten in moderation. Raw shellfish also should be avoided through out pregnancy.

Raw eggs or anything containing raw eggs should be avoided completely during pregnancy. There is a potential exposure to salmonella. This includes no raw cookie dough, no brownie mix, and some homemade sauces such as hollandaise, Caesar dressing and blue cheese dressing. When dining in a restaurant, it would be wise to ask any sauces or dressings contain any raw eggs. Most restaurants should be using pasteurized eggs in any raw egg recipe but one should still double check.

It is important to be careful of what you eat while you are pregnant. However, it is not necessary to go overboard with it. The main thing is to use common sense, and if you are in question, do not eat that food until you get your question answered.