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Common Dietary Problems During Pregnancy 73

Table 3.2.6 Food-borne illnesses

Food-borne illness Foods/materials to avoid Precautions to take

Listeriosis – a flu-like illness Pâté – meat, fish or vegetable unless Avoid pâté, soft cheeses and
caused by the bacteria Listeria tinned or pasteurized unpasteurized milk products
monocytogenes Mould-ripened soft cheeses (e.g. Brie, Reheat ready meals to piping hot
Camembert, blue-veined cheeses) right through
Unpasteurized milk and milk products
Ready meals especially those
containing chicken that are not
reheated before consumption

Salmonella – a bacteria which Raw or partially cooked eggs and foods Poultry should be thoroughly
is the major cause of food containing them such as mayonnaise defrosted in the fridge and cooked
poisoning in the UK and mousse until piping hot right through
Undercooked poultry and other meat Eggs should be cooked so both white
Toxoplasmosis – a disease and egg are solid
caused by the parasite Raw or undercooked meat
Toxoplasma gondii found in Unpasteurized milk and milk products Wash vegetables and salad
raw meat, soil and cat faeces Soil thoroughly to remove any soil or dirt
Cat litter trays Wash hands after handling raw meat
Campylobacter – a bacteria Thoroughly cook meat
that commonly causes food Undercooked poultry Wear rubber gloves when emptying
poisoning in the UK Unpasteurized milk and milk products cat litter trays
Untreated water Wash hands after handling cats
Domestic pets Wear gloves while gardening
Soil Do not help with lambing or milking
ewes that have recently given birth

Certain food-borne illnesses can cause miscarriage, ●● honey may be eaten during pregnancy, but is not
stillbirth, abnormalities in the developing fetus or suitable for infants until over 12 months of age
severe illness in the newborn (Table 3.2.6).
●● many cheeses including hard cheese, such as
Raw shellfish (e.g. prawns, cockles and mussels) cheddar and parmesan, feta, ricotta, mascarpone,
can cause food poisoning and should only be eaten cream cheese, mozzarella, cottage cheese,
if they are bought packaged and stamped with a processed cheese, such as cheese spreads.
‘use-by’ date.
Allergy Prevention Advice
Foods that are safe to eat during pregnancy
include: Avoiding foods during pregnancy will not reduce the
risk of the fetus developing a food allergy following
●● cooked shellfish, including prawns that are birth or later in life. As a consequence, the Department
part of a hot meal and have been cooked of Health changed their advice on peanuts in 2009 to:
thoroughly ‘there is insufficient evidence to advise any pregnant
women to avoid eating peanuts and peanut products
●● live or bio yogurt during pregnancy and breastfeeding’.

●● probiotic drinks Common Dietary Problems During
Pregnancy
●● fromage frais
Nausea and vomiting
●● crème fraîche
Nausea in pregnancy is reported in 50–80 per cent
●● soured cream of pregnant women; 52 per cent of pregnant women

●● spicy food

●● mayonnaise, ice cream and salad dressing made
with pasteurized egg (home-made versions may
contain raw eggs and must be avoided)