What foods should I avoid during pregnancy?

Most foods are safe in pregnancy. But some food groups have potential to harm your pregnancy, and these should be avoided. Here is a list of food items to avoid:

• Unpasteurized semi-hard and soft cheeses (unless cooked until steaming hot)

• All mould-ripened soft cheeses with a white coating on the outside, such as brie, camembert and chèvre (unless cooked until steaming hot)

• Soft blue cheeses such as Danish Blue, Gorgonzola and Roquefort (unless cooked until steaming hot)

• Unpasteurised cow’s, goat’s or sheep’s milk or cream

• Liver and liver products such as pâté or liver sausage can have large amounts of vitamin A. This can be harmful for your baby. All types of pâtés, including vegetable versions, can have listeria in them. It’s best to avoid them.

• Do not eat swordfish, marlin, shark, or raw shellfish. Do not eat smoked fish products, including smoked salmon and smoked trout, unless thoroughly cooked as they can present a risk of Listeria. This includes in sushi.

• You should not eat game meat, such as hare, partridge, or pheasant due to the presence of lead. You should also not eat raw or rare meat as this can cause food poisoning.

• Unwashed fruits and vegetable / store bought salads as these may contain listeria.

Always make sure any meat you eat is well cooked and steaming hot all the way through. You should not be able to see any pink meat and the juices should run clear. Sprouted seeds need to be cooked well until they are hot throughout to make sure they do not make you ill.