A pregnant woman needs to eat healthy food that will help her and her baby grow and stay strong. Some foods and drinks may contain germs that can make you unwell or harm your baby. For example, you should avoid cold-smoked fish and ready-to-eat seafood that might have bacteria called listeria. This can cause an infection called listeriosis, which may lead to miscarriage and stillbirth or make your baby very unwell.
Another drink that can cause miscarriage during pregnancy is milk in its raw form. Consuming raw milk could put you at risk of contracting a dangerous bacteria called listeria which can affect the fetus. The bacteria can also lead to severe food poisoning, diarrhoea, fever and abdominal pain in pregnant women which may eventually result in a miscarriage. Therefore, it’s important to consume only pasteurised milk during pregnancy.
Drumstick leaves are a good source of calcium, Vitamin C and potassium but they are dangerous for pregnant women as they can cause pelvic haemorrhage. The reason behind this is that they contain a substance called alpha-sitosterol which can smoothen the muscles of the uterus and cause a miscarriage.
In addition, a pregnant woman should avoid eating raw vegetables as they might have the parasite Toxoplasma gondii which can be harmful for her and her baby. The parasite is transmitted through the uterus and can cause toxoplasmosis in the mother and toxoplasmosis in the baby. Therefore, it’s imperative to soak green leafy vegetables in clean salt water and wash them properly under running water before consuming them. Also, you should always use sanitised cutlery while eating vegetables and fruits.