Foods to avoid in pregnancy

There are some foods to avoid or take care with when you're pregnant. These they might make you ill or harm your baby.

Foods to avoid include:

• unpasteurised dairy (milk and cheese)
• soft-serve ice cream (such as a '99' ice cream)
• mould-ripened cheeses such as brie and camembert
• blue cheeses such as Danish blue, gorgonzola and roquefort
• foods made with raw or under-cooked eggs, such as homemade mayonnaise
• raw or under-cooked meat
• cold cured meats such as salami, parma ham, chorizo and pepperoni
• liver - including liver sausage, haggis and pâté containing liver
• shark, swordfish, and marlin
• tuna - should be limited to one 150g cooked weight fresh tuna steak or two 240g cans (140g drained weight) per week
• raw or smoked fish, including sushi
• clams, oysters, scallops, prawns and mussels - the risk is highest if they are pre-cooked

Check the label to see if food is pasteurised. Food products that are not pasteurised or are mould-ripened may contain bacteria such as listeria. This can be dangerous for your baby.

Food poisoning in pregnancy

Food poisoning can be dangerous when you are pregnant.

To avoid food poisoning:

• wash your hands before, during and after food preparation
• use different knives, chopping boards and utensils for raw and cooked food
• put food in the fridge as quickly as possible
• keep raw and cooked meats separate
• wash all fruits, vegetables and pre-packed salads before eating
• eat leftovers within 2 days
• do not eat foods past their use-by date
• make sure all meat, poultry, seafood and eggs are cooked thoroughly
• ready-to-eat sliced meat, such as sliced ham
• avoid deli counters as the food hygiene may be compromised

Find out more about food safety - safefood.ie

Food recall

Food recall is when food is removed from sale because it does not meet safety or hygiene standards.

If you have eaten a food that has been the subject of a safety recall and you feel unwell, contact your GP.

Alcohol

There is no safe time to drink alcohol when you are pregnant.

Alcohol during pregnancy

Caffeine

Limit the amount of caffeine you have to 200 milligrams (mg) a day. This is about the same as 2 mugs of instant coffee.

Too much caffeine can increase your risk of miscarriage. It can also increase the risk of your baby being small or growing slowly.

Caffeine during pregnancy

Herbal teas and supplements

Ginger, peppermint, camomile and fruit teas are safe to drink during pregnancy. They can help to keep you hydrated.

You should avoid all other herbal supplements and teas.

This is because:

• there is no way of knowing how strong they are
• they can react with other medicines, which can cause health problems
• the effects of herbal remedies on pregnant women and unborn babies is unknown

Healthy eating during during pregnancy