Food Poisoning During Pregnancy
Can food poisoning during pregnancy be harmful to your baby?
This is a very broad topic as there are a wide variety of illnesses you can contract whenever you have food poisoning. Some pregnant women may contract food poisoning while eating at their favorite restaurant, and only have slight abdominal discomfort and a mild case of diarrhea. While other expectant mothers may contract a more severe type of food poisoning that can lead to complications with the baby.
Believe it or not, we are generally exposed to food borne pathogens every day of our lives, but our immune systems prevent us from becoming ill and can fight off many of the slight infections that we contract, without most people ever actually noticing.
Food Poisoning And Pregnancy
How an unborn baby is affected by a case of food poisoning that develops in the expectant mother, depends on a number of factors. If the mother fights off the infection well, it generally will not have any adverse effects on the baby. However, even if it is a more serious infection, such factors as the age of the baby, and how well developed it is, can play a huge role in whether any complications develop or not.
How Can I Avoid Food Poisoning While I’m Pregnant?
There are a number of things you can do to help prevent getting a case of food poisoning and this includes:
- avoid eating deli meats
- avoid eating any meats unless they are cooked to the proper internal temperature
- do not eat any types of soft cheeses that are made from unpasteurized (raw) milk
- never drink or eat any type of unpasteurized milk or other foods that are made from raw milk
- always buy your meat and dairy products last whenever you are shopping and head directly home to store them in the refrigerator immediately
- be sure to properly clean cutting boards and any surfaces that you will be preparing food on
- wash your hands with warm soapy water and use antibacterial soap, before handling any food
- make sure that your refrigerator is set at 40°F to properly store your food
- never eat anything that is past its expiry date
- if a meat or cheese does not have an expiry date on it, be sure to mark the day it was bought
Most importantly, if you have left a food out that was in your refrigerator for longer than an hour, you should always discarded it instead of taking any chances.
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