There are some foods that you shouldn't eat when you’re pregnant:

• to avoid exposing yourself to the risk of food poisoning, or
• because they’re potentially harmful to your unborn baby.

Listeria

Listeriosis is a flu-like illness, which you can get from food that contains listeria bacteria. Although it’s rare in Canada, listeriosis can cause stillbirth, miscarriage or severe illness in newborn babies.
 
You should avoid foods where high levels of listeria are occasionally found. For example:

• Soft and blue-veined cheeses, such as camembert, brie and stilton. There’s no risk of listeria from hard cheese such as cheddar, or from cottage cheese or processed cheese.
• Pâté – all types of pâté, including vegetable pâté. 
• Some prepared salads, such as potato salad and coleslaw. 
• Ready-prepared meals or re-heated food, unless they’re piping hot all the way through.

Campylobacter and salmonella

Campylobacter and salmonella are bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

Campylobacter is found in:

• raw meat and poultry
• unpasteurised milk
• untreated water

Food poisoning from campylobacter can cause miscarriage and early (premature) labour.

Salmonella is found in:

• raw meat and poultry
• unpasteurised milk
• raw eggs and raw egg products

Although salmonella food poisoning is unlikely to harm your baby, it’s advisable to avoid foods that may contain salmonella.

You can reduce your risk of getting campylobacter or salmonella food poisoning by taking the steps below.

• Avoid foods containing raw or partially cooked eggs, such as home-made mayonnaise, and some mousses and sauces. You should only eat eggs if they’re cooked until both the white and the yolk are solid. 
• Avoid unpasteurised dairy products.
• Avoid drinking from a contaminated water supply. 
• Cook all meat and poultry thoroughly. Take extra care with products made from minced meat, such as sausages and burgers – make sure they’re cooked until piping hot all the way through and no pink meat is left. 
• Take extra care with meat at barbeques, parties and buffets. Bacteria breed quickly on food that’s left uncovered in a warm place. 
• Make sure that raw meat doesn’t come into contact with other food (for example, in the fridge), particularly food that’s already cooked, or food that will be eaten raw.

Also, always remember to wash your hands after:

• handling or touching raw meat
• contact with animals

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasite found in cat faeces. It can also be present in:

• raw or undercooked meat
• soil left on unwashed fruit and vegetables

Although rare, toxoplasmosis can occasionally pass to the unborn baby, which can cause serious problems.

To reduce the risk of toxoplasmosis, you should avoid the following foods:

• unwashed raw fruit and vegetables
• raw or undercooked meat
• unpasteurised goats' milk or goats' cheese

You should also avoid contact with soil or faeces that might contain the toxoplasmosis parasite. Always wear gloves if you’re gardening or changing a cat litter tray. If possible, ask someone else to do it for you.

Vitamin A

While you're pregnant, make sure your diet doesn't include too much vitamin A. You do need some, but if too much vitamin A builds up in your body, it can harm your unborn baby. Eating a normal, well-balanced diet should give you all the vitamin A your body needs.

Liver contains high levels of vitamin A, so you should avoid:

• liver
• liver products such as pâté.

Check with your GP or midwife before you take any high-dose multivitamins or cod liver oil supplements – these may contain vitamin A.

Fish to limit

When you’re pregnant, you shouldn’t eat too much of some types of fish.

Oily fish is good for your health. However, you should limit how much you eat because it contains pollutants, such as dioxins and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls).

Pregnant women should eat no more than one portions of oily fish a week. Examples of oily fish include:

• fresh tuna (not canned tuna, which doesn't count as oily fish)
• mackerel
• sardines
• trout

Tuna also contains a high level of mercury (see below). You shouldn't eat more than one fresh tuna steak, or one medium-sized can (about 140g per can) of tuna a week.

Fish to avoid

You should avoid eating some types of fish while you’re pregnant.

Some fish contain a high level of mercury, which can damage your baby's developing nervous system. You should avoid eating:

• shark
• swordfish
• marlin

You should also avoid eating raw shellfish. This will reduce your chances of getting food poisoning, which can be particularly unpleasant when you're pregnant.

Alcohol

The Department of Health advises that pregnant women, and women who are trying to conceive, should avoid drinking alcohol and should not get drunk. Heavy drinking during pregnancy is associated with low birth weight, and more serious problems such as fetal alcohol syndrome.

Caffeine

You should limit the amount of caffeine you have each day. Caffeine affects the way your body absorbs iron, which is very important for your baby's development. High levels of caffeine can result in a baby having a low birth weight, or even miscarriage.

Caffeine occurs naturally in a range of foods, such as coffee, tea and chocolate. It's also added to some soft drinks and 'energy' drinks.

Some cold and flu remedies also contain caffeine, so always check with your pharmacist before taking any medicines while you’re pregnant.