• 10 Pregnancy Do's
• 10 Pregnancy Don'ts
• Why is Preconception Care important?

10 Pregnancy Don'ts

1. Avoid toxoplasmosis. Don't eat undercooked meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables. Don't come into contact with cat feces. These could put you at risk for an infection called toxoplasmosis which is caused by a parasite that can cause blindness, hearing loss, learning disability, or stillbirth.
2. Avoid listeriosis and Salmonellosis. Don't eat unpasteurized dairy products, imported soft cheeses like brie, blue cheese, feta, and Mexican-style cheese, raw fish, cold cuts or deli meats. Salmonnellosis is caused by salmonella bacteria that can cause severe food poisoning. Listeriosis is caused by Listeria bacteria that can cause premature delivery, miscarriage, stillbirth, and meningitis in newborn.
3. Avoid Mercury toxicity. Mercury is a metal found in fish that may cause brain damage, learning disabilities and hearing loss in your unborn baby. Avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, fresh tuna, or tile fish. You can limit fish with low mercury level such as canned tuna, shrimp, Pollock, salmon, cod, catfish, clams, crabs, and scallops to 2 meals or 12 ounces per week. Avoid raw fish.
4. Avoid chemicals. Avoid herbicides, pesticides, paint, and stains. If you need to use these make sure to wear gloves, mask in a well ventilated room.
5. Avoid or control caffeine intake. Pregnant women should have no more than two servings of caffeine per day. Teas, sodas, and chocolate may contain caffeine.
6. Avoid alcohol, smoking, and illicit drugs. Alcohol can cause Fetal Alcohol Syndrome which includes mental retardation. Smoking and second hand smoke raises your baby's risk of low birth weight, premature birth and stillbirth. Marijuana, cocaine, amphetamine can cause intrauterine growth problem, preterm labor, placental separation from the uterus, as well as withdrawal symptoms in the newborn, birth defects, learning and behavioral problems.
7. Avoid hot baths, hot tubs, or saunas. High body temperature in the first trimester can increase risk of birth defects in babies. Overheating can also cause you to faint.
8. Avoid scented feminine hygiene products. Douches, scented sprays, sanitary napkins, and bubble bath may irritate your vaginal area and increase your risk of a urinary tract infection or yeast infection.
9. Avoid contact and high impact sports. Kickboxing, soccer, basketball may cause trauma to the abdomen that can cause separation of the placenta from the uterus and cause bleeding. Gymnastics, horseback riding, and downhill skiing carry a high risk of falling. Avoid scuba diving which may cause miscarriage and preterm labor.
10. Avoid putting off dental work. Decaying teeth and gum disease can cause infection that could harm your baby. Avoid sweets which can contribute to periodontal disease.