Pregnant and nursing clients are at higher risk of contracting certain types of bacteria. One danger is listeria, a bacteria that grows in water and soil and is sometimes found in uncooked meats, unwashed vegetables, unpasteurized milk, foods made from unpasteurized milk and processed foods. Pregnant women are 20 times more likely to become infected from listeria than nonpregnant healthy adults (National Women’s Health Information Center [NWHIC] 2006b). Infection occurs most commonly in the third trimester, when the immune system is weakened. Listeria infection can cause miscarriage, premature delivery, newborn infection and even death.

Mercury, a harmful metal found in high levels in some fish, is especially dangerous to developing babies. Mercury damages many parts of the body, including the nervous system, the lungs, the kidneys, vision and hearing. Babies exposed to high levels of mercury in the womb may suffer brain damage, learning disabilities, hearing loss and even death (NWHIC 2006a).

Toxoplasma is a parasite that is often shed in cat feces and can also be found in undercooked meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables. While toxoplasma infection is not always harmful to a developing fetus, it can sometimes lead to blindness and brain damage. Pregnant women who have been exposed to the parasite prior to pregnancy (at least 6-9 months before) already have immunity and are not susceptible to future infection (NWHIC 2006b).

Woman can minimize the risks of exposure to these dangers by taking the following precautions (NWHIC 2006b):

• Never eat raw or under-cooked meat, poultry, fish or shellfish (sushi or sashimi).


• Avoid types of fish that are high in mercury, such as swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel and shark.


• Don’t eat refrigerated packages of smoked seafood, like whitefish, salmon and mackerel; instead, try the canned versions of these types of smoked seafood.


• Never eat refrigerated pates or meat spreads.


• Forgo eating hotdogs and luncheon meats, unless you cook them at home and cook them until they are steaming hot.


• Avoid all soft cheeses, like feta, brie, camembert, “blue-veined cheeses,” “queso blanco,” “queso fresco” and Panela, unless the labels say they are pasteurized or made from pasteurized milk.


• Never drink raw or unpasteurized milk or eat foods that contain unpasteurized milk.


• Don’t eat unwashed fruits and vegetables.


• Avoid all alcohol consumption during pregnancy; nursing moms can drink alcohol in moderation but are encouraged not to do so within 3 hours of breastfeeding (La Leche League International 2006).


• Limit caffeine intake to no more than 300 mg per day and preferably much less than that (March of Dimes 2007). That’s roughly equivalent to two 8-ounce cups of coffee, three 8-ounce glasses of black tea or five 12-ounce cans of soda per day (March of Dimes 2007).

REFERENCES
1. La Leche League International. 2006. What about drinking alcohol and breastfeeding? www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/alcohol.html; retrieved Mar.1, 2007.
2. March of Dimes. 2007. Caffeine in pregnancy. www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/681_1148.asp;retrieved Mar. 4, 2007.
3. National Women’s Health Information Center. 2006a. Healthy pregnancy: Fish facts print and go guide. www.4women.gov/pregnancy/tools/preg_fish.pdf;retrieved Jan. 30, 2007.
4. National Women’s Health Information Center. 2006b. Healthy pregnancy: Food don’ts print and go guide. www.4women.gov/pregnancy/tools/preg_fish.pdf;retrieved Jan. 30, 2007.
5. Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The Pregnancy Food Guide. www.brighamandwomens.org/publicaffairs/Images/BWH_Pregnancy_Food_Guide.pdf.
6. Food and Nutrition Information Center. Nutrition During Pregnancy Resource List for Consumers. www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/pubs/bibs/topics/pregnancy/pregcon.html.