Obstetrics

Your body will go through multiple physiological changes throughout your pregnancy. You and your doctor will discuss the basic issues surrounding the beginning of your pregnancy including general expectations, diet, nutrition and your overall health.

Your nutritional health is vital throughout your pregnancy for a number of reasons. When you are pregnant, your ability to fight off infection is lower than usual. In addition, your unborn baby’s immune system is not fully developed. This means both you and your baby have a greater chance of getting sick from eating unsafe food.

There are a number of foods that pose a higher risk of food borne diseases and include unpasteurized (raw) milk, cheese, some juices, raw or under cooked animal foods such as seafood, meat, poultry and eggs.

Although eating seafood is safe during your pregnancy, there are some rules to be followed. First, the seafood must be cooked (no sushi!), next you need to be sure of the type of fish. Larger fish for the most part are more apt to have a higher mercury content within the tissue and you may want to limit your consumption. These include tuna, swordfish, tile fish and others. You may want to discuss in more detail which seafood is acceptable during your pregnancy with your doctor.

Caffeine can be consumed in moderation (less than 200mg per day) during your pregnancy. Please keep in mind that an 8 oz. cup of brewed coffee contains approximately 140mg of caffeine and an 8 oz. cup of brewed teas contains approximately 50mg of caffeine.

It is recommended that pregnant women do not drink alcohol. Even moderate drinking during your pregnancy can cause behavior or developmental problems for your baby. Heavy drinking during pregnancy has been proven to result in serious problems for your baby including malformation and mental retardation.