7) Caffeine

Pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake to 200 mg per day, which is about 2–3 cups of coffee. High caffeine intake during pregnancy can limit fetal growth and cause low birth weight.

8) Organ Meat

Organ meat is a great source of iron, vitamin B12, vitamin A and copper. To prevent vitamin A and copper toxicity, pregnant women are advised to limit their intake of organ meat to no more than once a week.

9) Undercooked, Raw and Processed Meat

Raw or undercooked meat may contain harmful bacteria. As a general rule, meat should be cooked all the way through.

10) Undercooked or Raw Fish

Raw fish and shellfish can be contaminated with bacteria and parasites. Some of these can cause adverse health effects and harm both the mother and unborn baby.

11) High-Mercury Fish

Pregnant women should not eat high-mercury fish more than 1–2 times each month. This includes shark, swordfish, tuna and mackerel.

High-mercury fish include:

Shark

Swordfish

King mackerel

Tuna (especially albacore tuna)

Proper food hygiene and preparation is always recommended, especially during pregnancy. However, this is not always easy to do, since some foods may already be contaminated when you purchase them. For this reason, it’s best to avoid the foods on this list as much as possible. Your health and that of your unborn child should come first.