A healthy pregnancy will bless the expecting mother with a healthy child. But if you don’t take certain precautions and avoid certain things during the full term of your pregnancy, then it can result in several complications.
Certain things affect the health of the developing baby as well as the expecting mother and hence they should be avoided during pregnancy. If you are pregnant and are looking forward to have a healthy child then you will have to put certain restrictions on your diet, along with other things.
Most common things that should be avoided during pregnancy have been discussed below.
8 Things To Avoid During Pregnancy:
1) Avoid Hot Temperature
Adults are capable of adapting to the extreme change in temperatures due to the external cooling mechanisms, but fetus does not have this ability to cope up with hot temperature. Hence, you must avoid a drastic rise in your body’s temperature. If you have developed fever then you must never allow your body temperature to rise beyond 102 degrees otherwise it could be detrimental for your baby’s health. Similarly, avoid working outdoors on hot summer days.
2) Avoid Certain Fishes
Excess intake of mercury during pregnancy can be detrimental for the baby’s developing brain. It can lead to brain damage, delayed development of the brain and damage to the nervous system of the fetus. Certain fishes are very high in mercury and need to be avoided during pregnancy. Examples may include tuna, king mackerel, swordfish, shark, tilefish, etc.
3) Avoid Smoking And Alcohol Intake
We all are aware that smoking and alcohol consumption are not good for our overall health. Still most men and women practice these ill habits. During pregnancy these habits can produce severe consequences on your baby’s health. Smoking and alcohol intake during pregnancy can lead to prenatal defects in the developing baby. Inhalation of cigarette smoke during pregnancy can also lead to pre-term births or spontaneous abortion. Fetal death, low birth weight, retarded growth, and organ dysfunction in the baby are some other ill effects of smoking during pregnancy.
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4) Avoid Intake Of Uncooked Meat And Seafood
Uncooked meat and seafood usually contain parasites like salmonella and coliform bacteria along with some other harmful bacteria. Intake of these foods containing these parasites during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, still birth or even fetal brain damage. Therefore, pregnant women should avoid the consumption of undercooked meats and seafood.
5) Avoid Certain Herbs
Pregnancy is a phase when an expecting mother experiences various problems such as morning sickness, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, back pain, etc. Many women are tempted to use the herbal remedies to treat these conditions without knowing that the herbs used in the treatment could cause severe damage to her fetus. There are several herbs that are not considered safe for use during pregnancy because they can cause uterine contractions, premature birth, miscarriage and injury to fetus. Herbs to be avoided during pregnancy include blue cohosh, black cohosh, saw palmetto, ephedra, passion flower, goldenseal, yohimbe, pennyroyal, etc.
6) Avoid Kitty Litter
Toxoplasmosis can be caused by coming in direct contact of kitty litter. It can lead to birth defects, still births, and ectopic pregnancy. Hence, you should stay away from kitty litter.
7) Avoid Over-The-Counter Drugs
Since you may not be aware as to what drugs may be harmful for your developing baby, you must avoid taking OTC drugs for treating any condition.
8 ) Avoid Strenuous And Risky Exercises
You should refrain from risky sports like hockey, athletics, skiing, etc. and other strenuous exercises to avoid any complication.
