dangerous food to avoid for pregnant women

dangerous food to avoid for pregnant women

Most women know that some food items are dangerous during pregnancy. A very simple example is raw papaya . Papaya is usually eaten by  some women and girls to have a easier menstruation period / increase menstrual flow. But the same papaya consumed during pregnancy ( especially the beginning of the first trimester )  is considered to be dangerous, since consumption of raw papaya might be linked  with uterine contractions (the latex in unripe papaya might contain chemicals which might induce uterine contractions / labor symptoms ). Some medical professionals also ask pregnant women to avoid eating grapes and raisins due to resveratrol in grapes during pregnancy (especially the third trimester) . Some women also avoid pineapple, sesame seeds when they are pregnant. Egg plant or brinjal is another such vegetable which is avoided by some pregnant women. Licorice is also avoided by some pregnant women ( because of a possibility of premature birth ).

There are some other food items that are best to avoid during pregnancy. There is a very high risk of contamination of raw meat and undercooked meat by salmonella and some other types of bacteria. So it is best to avoid consuming raw meat, raw seafood and undercooked meat, undercooked poultry, rare steaks etc ,and in general food  that is undercooked when pregnant. Overall, it is best to eat meat that is properly cooked and it is best to consume the cooked meat when it is hot.

Similarly with eggs, it is best for pregnant women to avoid half boiled eggs , undercooked eggs , and stick to  eating properly cooked hard boiled eggs where both the yellow and white are firm/solid. Note that some of the home made toppings of cakes / pastries and some salad dressings might contain uncooked or partially cooked egg . Tasting raw dough used for cookies might also be dangerous since the cookie dough may contain raw eggs.

The main problem with undercooked / raw meat is the risk of toxoplasmosis (infection by a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii ) Toxoplasmosis is not usually  risky for adults with strong immune systems. But toxoplasmosis carries a high risk for pregnant women since toxoplasmosis may cause miscarriage, or it may directly infect the unborn child.

Liver has high amounts of vitamin A and is usually not recommended for consumption by pregnant women.

 Some sea fish ( like shark and swordfish / larger fish with a longer lifetime to accumulate mercury ) have a higher chance to contain traces of mercury, and mercury might cause ill effects to the baby ( mercury poisoning is related to problems of brain ) in the womb of the  pregnant woman. So it is best for pregnant women to avoid those sea fish which might be tainted with mercury. Sushi is also considered to be bad for pregnant women, because of the likely presence of raw or improperly cooked fish.

It is better for pregnant women to avoid soft cheese and cheese from unpasteurized sources.  Soft cheese might contain higher levels of moisture which might be helpful for the  growth of harmful bacteria in soft cheese.

High doses of caffeine ( found in coffee, cola etc ) is not good for pregnant women, since very high doses of caffeine might be linked to miscarriages. So it is good for pregnant women to limit the quantity of coffee and other beverages which might contain caffeine.

It is better to avoid alcohol completely in pregnancy. Alcohol is known to pass into the baby's  body in the womb from the blood of the mother and the body of the small baby cannot handle the alcohol. There are many birth defects which might happen because of regular consumption of alcohol by pregnant women. Such defects are usually given the name fetal alcohol syndrome.. ( you can read more about fetal alcohol syndrome here.  )

(  testing for pregnancy     )

( chemical pregnancy )

( trying to concieve ttc ) (  stress-of-ttc-or-stress-of-trying-to conceive ) ( fetal alcohol spectrum disorders ( fasd ) )

( first trimester of pregnancy } ( anxiety in pregnant women ) ( some first trimester problems of pregnant women) (  some more symptoms of the first trimester )


( second trimester of pregnancy ) ( second trimester problems / symptoms for pregnant women )



( third trimester of pregnancy )

( labour and child birth )

( tips on male fertility )

(  bipolar disorder medicines during pregnancy )

( changes-in-women-after-childbirth )

( ttc after 30 )

( some information about knives )


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Expenses involved in pregnancy and childbirth

Expenses involved in pregnancy and childbirth

Many of the couples who are ttc ( trying to conceive ) will also be wondering about how much does it cost to have a baby.
Child birth in USA is supposed to cost more than child birth in other countries . In countries like USA, people use insurance very extensively. Even with a good insurance coverage, there will be many other expenses for which you may have to pay out of your own pocket ( like basic blood tests, so called diagnostic tests , optional birthing classes and for technicians to read / interpret the ultrasounds etc even if the ultrasounds might be covered by your insurance and other so called out of network professionals, birthing tub, room rent for private room in the hospital and extra room rent for the baby after childbirth , baby-blanket , formula for the baby after birth in the hospital if the baby is not being breast fed , so called maternal supplies, TV  ) . Sometimes, as soon as the child is born, the new born baby is treated as  a new separate patient for billing purposes.

Couples are therefore very worried about how much the pregnancy might cost even with insurance coverage and about the costs of prenatal and postnatal visits to the doctor if they are not covered by insurance .Sometimes  your current health insurance ( even so called family insurance ) might not cover maternity care / pregnancy. Even if your current health insurance pays for maternity care/ pregnancy, the insurers are likely to pay for only the bare minimum. It is better to read through the insurance documents and  discuss with your insurance provider about exactly what they will and will not cover.  Usually the pregnancy costs are split into separate bills for item by item ( itemized ). These bills / receipts will come one by one in the weeks and even months after child birth. A higher percentage of women in USA are giving birth via c-section when compared to other developed countries. There is a big difference in the amount required for uncomplicated vaginal births versus births via c - section. There is also difference in the money paid out of their pockets by women who have to go to a hospital and those who opt for a birth center  and there is also a huge difference between insurance providers. Usually a woman without insurance might be eligible for medicaid for pregnancy expenses if she is below the poverty line. But they will have to search for a doctor who accepts payment from medicaid .

In other developed countries maternity / pregnancy care will usually be cheaper and available to all pregnant women for a negligible fee . In some countries even the scans after the 13th week or 20th week may be free / borne by the government. But sometimes, the waiting line might be long for non emergency medical care in government funded public hospitals. In some countries, some money is given to the new mothers to help with the initial child care supplies. In  most European countries, midwives are used extensively in maternity / pregnancy care both during pregnancy, labour, childbirth and in the post partum period for lower risk pregnancies. Midwives are usually classified as out of network providers by insurance companies in the US.

In  general, the older the mother, the more prenatal tests that are likely to be done on her. Some doctors even go for ultrasounds every other week. Therefore the expenses are likely to increase with the age of the mother and some of the tests might not be covered by the insurance provider.
 
The insurance expense is also likely to increase after the birth of the child. After childbirth, the parents will have to buy items for the baby, Usually, the crib and baby mattress, baby seats for the car, stroller, baby carrier should be new. Diapers, baby wipes are going to be expensive. Cloth diapers are likely to be better from a environmental  as well as economic point of view when compared to disposables. Diaper sizes also change from month to month. Trying to potty train the baby as early as possible is useful. Planning and waiting for sales and buying some items in bulk at events will help in cutting down on expenses . Babies  outgrow clothes and some toys very quickly. Buying brand new clothes for the baby all the time is likely to be very expensive. Hand me downs are useful in reducing some of the expenses for baby clothes.

In general breastfed babies are likely to get antibodies via the breast milk which is helpful for the babies to increase their immunity to various infections and is also likely to reduce the risk of allergies.Breastfeeding is also helpful in developing the bond between the mother and child. But many women will not be able to breastfeed their children, some babies will not be able to latch on to the nipples properly. Lactation consultants might be useful.Some women will have to give up breastfeeding within one or two months.  Some mothers will opt for formula for their babies especially, if they are working mothers . Formula milk which is synthetic and the accompanying feeding bottles ( which have to be sterilized regularly ) is also more expensive. Formula milk which might advertise themselves as containing all required nutrients for the baby, might sometimes lead to indigestion problems.






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There is no guarantee about the data/information on this site. You use the data/information at your own risk. You use the advertisements displayed on this page at your own risk.We are not responsible for the content of external internet sites. Some of the links may not work

some more symptoms of the first trimester

some more symptoms of the first trimester

( first trimester of pregnancy } ( anxiety in pregnant women ) ( some first trimester problems of pregnant women)

In some pregnant women, there will be a ravenous hunger upto the 8th or 9th week of pregnancy and suddenly there might be a feeling of fulness even after eating only a small quantity of food in the first trimester itself. So the medical practitioner might recommend eating smaller portions of food more frequently. The feeling of nausea combined with feeling hungry is one of the worst feeling during the first trimester. Some pregnant women have a craving for protein rich foods like egg, meat etc during the first trimester while some other pregnant women might feel a strong aversion to meat in the first trimester. The craving for red meat might also be an indication of deficiency of iron.

Orgasms even without actual penetration in the first trimester (around 8 to 11 weeks) might cause a little bit of spotting (light brown or red blood ) and penetration might cause some bleeding from the cervix. If there is heavy bleeding with pain, it is better to consult the doctor.

Some pregnant women are likely to have anxiety attacks in the first trimester ( from around the fifth week ) and might feel that they are going crazy. Some of the pregnant ladies will worry if they are pregnant at all in spite of the BFP and might worry that they are not getting any of the first trimester pregnancy symptoms ( or that the pregnancy symptoms are weak / not strong ) they have read about on the internet or heard about from their friends. Some of the pregnant women will be very worried about the health of their baby as well. Trying to get more hours of undisturbed sleep might be useful in reducing the anxiety. Moderate amounts of exercise might also be useful to reduce anxiety.

Moderate amounts of exercise is good for pregnant ladies as long as the pregnant woman was comfortable with the exercise before she became pregnant. But be careful to avoid higher amounts of heat buildup especially in the first trimester.It is better to consult the medical practitioner about the exercise if the pregnant lady is not sure of the risks of the exercise or if there is a history of miscarriages or if the pregnancy is higher risk ( with medical complications ) . It is best to avoid exercises in the supine position (lying on the back ) ( especially after the first trimester ). Some of the likely benefits of moderate exercise might be felt during labour and  childbirth. Other benefits may be reduction in constipation , improved sleeping, higher energy levels, reduction of depression etc.

GERD ( Gastroesophageal reflux disease ) symptoms include a burning sensation in the chest / throat region ( called heartburn ). Slower digestion during pregnancy combined with the valve / muscle connecting the esophagus and stomach being affected by pregnancy hormones ( like progesterone ) leading to acids leaking from the stomach which give the burning feeling called heartburn. Eating smaller meals more number of times might be helpful in reducing heartburn.

Because of the increased blood supply during pregnancy and effects of hormones, some pregnant women are likely to experience nose bleeds and also bleeding from the gums . Some pregnant women are likely to feel mild dizziness / fainting during the first trimester because sometimes the pregnancy hormones cause low blood pressure leading to lesser blood flow to the brain.

Brief cramps similar to menstrual cramps might be felt by some pregnant women around the seventh week of pregnancy. Some pregnant women might experience sudden increase in the cup sizes of their bra ( around 3 to 5 cup sizes more in as many weeks  from around the fifth week ) due to increase in the size of their breasts  in the first trimester. Tenderness in the breasts is also felt during the first trimester.

Avoiding coffee in the afternoons and not using sugary foods at night combined with a warm shower before going to bed might be helpful for getting more sleep at night.

Women suffering from allergies have to be extra careful during pregnancy. They will worry if their allergy medicines can be used when they are pregnant, It is better to consult the medical practitioner about the use of oral decongestants and some of the medicines which contain a mixture of decongestants and antihistamine. Some of them have been associated with birth defects.

( first trimester of pregnancy } ( anxiety in pregnant women ) ( some first trimester problems of pregnant women)

(  testing for pregnancy     )

( chemical pregnancy )

( trying to concieve ttc ) (  stress-of-ttc-or-stress-of-trying-to conceive ) ( fetal alcohol spectrum disorders ( fasd ) )



( second trimester of pregnancy ) ( second trimester problems / symptoms for pregnant women )



( third trimester of pregnancy )

( labour and child birth )

( tips on male fertility )

(  bipolar disorder medicines during pregnancy )

( changes-in-women-after-childbirth )

( ttc after 30 )

( some information about knives )





disclaimer:
There is no guarantee about the data/information on this site. You use the data/information at your own risk. You use the advertisements displayed on this page at your own risk.We are not responsible for the content of external internet sites. Some of the links may not work