Date PostedFebruary 19, 2013

Food Safety Update: How Dangerous can Food Poisoning be to Expectant Mothers?

Pregnant women can be particularly at risk of becoming sick from food poisoning and most often it can be difficult to pinpoint the source of the poisoning. It is important for pregnant women to be aware of high risk foods and stay well away from them.

Another problem for pregnant women is recognising the difference between food poisoning symptoms and mere morning sickness.

The symptoms of food poisoning include nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. You might also notice a fever or feel strangely weak.

There are tests that doctors can run to determine whether you are suffering from food poisoning. Food poisoning is most often diagnosed based on your history and symptoms, for example if you ate something that smelled bad and got sick later, your doctor might conclude it probably made you sick.

Pregnant women could have contracted food poisoning due to something they ate that contained bacteria, a virus or toxin.

Most often food poisoning will not affect the unborn child but some cases of food poisoning are particularly dangerous to the child. Listeria, a bacteria that may be present in uncooked foods and soft, unpasteurized cheeses, may cause miscarriage, premature delivery, infection or death to the newborn.

Food safety is a major issue for pregnant women and a good rule to remember is, you rather be safe than sorry, if you suspect food contamination, rather not eat it than do so and risk losing your baby.

 

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