Research conducted in New Zealand has found that 75% of pregnant women don't know about the Listeria risk in some foods. Some foods can be at higher risk for contamination with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria, which poses a special risk to pregnant women. Pregnant women are ten terms more likely than the general population to contract this infection. And this infection can cause stillbirth, premature labor, miscarriage, and infection in the newborn. Researchers surveyed 205 pregnant women between December 2017 and January 2018. While the average woman got 95% of questions right, only 25% had a perfect score. The potentially problematic foods they missed included hummus, soft and semi soft cheeses, some salads, and baked goods with added cream or custard. In the past few years, … [Read more...]
Holiday Food Safety for Pregnant Women
FoodSafety.gov is offering food safety tips for pregnant women this holiday season. Pregnant women must always be diligent about food safety, and especially so when attending parties and family gatherings. These women are at higher risk for food poisoning complications, especially listeriosis, the illness caused by Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. A woman's immune system is weaker when she is pregnant, which makes her at greater risk of contracting a foodborne illness. Toxoplasma gondii and Listeria monocytogenes are two of the major pathogens to be concerned about. Listeria bacteria can cause miscarriage, premature delivery, stillbirth, infection in the newborn, or the death of a newborn. And toxoplasma gondii can cause hearing loss, blindness, and intellectual disabilities in … [Read more...]
EWG Warns of Mercury in Seafood
Environmental Working Group (EWG) has produced a new study called "U.S. Fish Advice May Expose Babies to too Much Mercury." In it, they say that "adhering to the federal government's recommendations on seafood and mercury may be risky, potentially leading women to eat too much of the wrong kind of fish." The guidelines were issued as a draft recommendation in 2014 that recommended that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding eat more fish that is lower in mercury. Their tests found that mothers who eat species of fish in the amounts recommended by the EPA and FDA may risk exposing their fetuses to harmful levels of mercury. And those species do not have enough omega-3 fatty acids that are recommended in the diet. Mercury has toxic effects on the nervous, digestive and immune systems, … [Read more...]