10 Things You Should Avoid While Pregnant

10 Things You Should Avoid While Pregnant

1. Alcohol-There is no known safe level of alcohol for a developing fetus. The more alcohol a fetus is exposed to the greater the danger of problems. The most serious of which is fetal alcohol syndrome. This is the number one preventable cause of mental retardation. It can also cause malformed skeletal systems and nervous system malfunctions among a host of other potential issues. Don't chance it. Is that glass of wine really worth risking your baby's health and wellbeing?

2. Smoke-This includes personally smoking cigarettes, inhaling second hand smoke, or other situation where the expectant mother might be exposed to any kind of smoke. Smoking has been known to cause spontaneous miscarriage, pre-term labor and low birth weight. It also causes the baby's blood vessels to constrict which inhibits oxygen from getting to the brain. This can cause any number of developmental delays.

3. Cats-In particular, kitty litter. A cat's feces is a carrier of a parasite which causes toxoplasmosis. This can cause still birth, ectopic pregnancy, and birth defects. If you have had a cat for a long time before getting pregnant you may already have built up an immunity to toxoplasmosis, but be cautious. Your veterinarian can perform a test to see if your cat is a carrier of the disease.

4. Fish (with mercury)-Mercury is poison for the developing fetus. For this reason you should avoid fish that are known to have high concentrations of mercury such as shark, swordfish, and some tuna.

5. Raw Meats (and seafood)-uncooked or undercooked meat carries a risk of coliform bacteria, salmonella, and toxoplasmosis. These can cause miscarriage, still birth or brain damage.

6. Soft Cheeses-Any soft cheese such as brie, feta, blue cheese or queso blanco may be a carrier for a bacteria called listeria. This can cause blood poisoning for your baby which is a VERY serious situation for both mother and child. In addition it can cause miscarriage.