Eating for Two
Eating a well-balanced diet is even more vital when you are pregnant. Pregnant women need extra iron and folic acid, and should eat a balanced diet of grains, veggies, fruit, oils, milk, meat and beans. Drinking six to eight glasses of water, milk or juice daily is also advised. Check with your doctor about any dietary rules you should follow based on your own personal health status.
Foods to avoid when pregnant:
- Raw or undercooked seafood, meats or poultry
- Prepared meats, such as hot dogs or deli meats, unless they are steaming hot
- Refrigerated pate or meat spreads
- Fish with high mercury levels, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tuna
- Smoked seafood, such as lox, nova style, kippered or jerky
- Foods with raw eggs because of salmonella, such as mayonnaise, ice cream, and custards
- Imported soft cheeses such as brie, camembert, feta, gorgonzola and Mexican-style cheeses, unless the label says that they are made from pasteurized milk
- Unpasteurized milk
- Unwashed fruits and vegetables
- Caffeine
- Alcohol
You should always be careful when eating out and ask that your meat and fish be well cooked. Also, ask about the use of raw eggs and unpasteurized food products in your meal.
Members can log in to their Blue Access for MembersSM account for more healthy pregnancy information.
Sources: American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) 
, American Pregnancy Association (APA) , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
