What not to eat when pregnant 2
What not to eat when pregnant
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Fortified foods and supplements with vitamin A
Avoid
- Vitamin and fish oil supplements with vitamin A
- Foods fortified with vitamin A
High levels of the retinol form of vitamin A can be harmful to the unborn baby.
It's not safe to take multivitamins containing the retinol form of vitamin A or fish liver oils during pregnancy, such as cod liver oil containing more than 700 micrograms (mcg)/day. Also they should avoid foods that have vitamin A added (they may say 'fortified with vitamin A' on the label).
Pregnant women should always ensure any supplements they take are appropriate for pregnancy.
Other foods
Liquorice
Avoid
- Liquorice root
Liquorice root has a particularly high concentration of glycyrrhizin, which may be harmful to an unborn baby.
Enjoy
Pregnant women can enjoy liquorice sweets – there's no specific recommendation to avoid them, but they typically are high in sugars so if included should be limited.
Liquorice teas are also safe to drink in pregnancy as long they are within the limits of no more than 4 cups a day of herbal and green teas (see Herbal and green teas below).
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Drinks
Caffeine
Limit
Caffeine can be found in:
- Coffee
- Tea (including green tea)
- Chocolate
- Some sports/energy/soft drinks
- Some cold and flu remedies.
Very high levels of caffeine during pregnancy have been linked to the baby having a low birth weight, which can increase the risk of health problems later in life. There is also a very slight risk that too much caffeine can cause miscarriage.
Pregnant women should limit their intake of caffeine to around 200 milligrams (mg) per day which is roughly two mugs of instant coffee (see table below for caffeine content of more foods and drinks).
If they do occasionally have a bit more than 200mg, then they shouldn’t worry as the risks are very small.
| Foods containing caffeine | Approx amount of caffeine (mg*) |
| 1 mug of instant coffee | 100 |
| 1 mug of filter coffee | 140 |
| 1 mug of tea | 75 |
| 1 mug of green tea | 55 |
| 1 can of energy drink (250ml) | 80 |
| 1 can of energy drink (500ml) | up to 160 |
| 1 can of cola | 40 |
| 50 g bar plain chocolate | 25 |
| 50 g bar milk chocolate | 10 |
*mg=milligrams
Coffee from a coffee shop or restaurant may contain higher levels of caffeine compared to coffee made at home, so it’s a good idea for pregnant women to opt for decaffeinated versions if the level of caffeine may be high.
It is important to drink plenty of fluid during pregnancy and water and reduced fat milks are good choices. To cut down on caffeine intakes mums-to-be could try decaffeinated versions of tea, coffee and cola. For more information on hydration and pregnancy click here
It’s important that pregnant women talk to their midwife, GP or pharmacist before taking any cold and flu remedies in case they are not suitable to take during pregnancy.
Herbal and green teas
Limit
- Herbal teas
- Green teas
Little is known about the safety of herbal and green teas in pregnancy so it is advised to drink them in moderation and stick to those made with ingredients that tend to be a normal part of the diet – for example mint or blackcurrant tea.
The Food Standards Agency advises that pregnant women should not drink more than 4 cups a day.
NHS Choices recommends that pregnant women seek advice from their GP or midwife if they are unsure about which herbal products are safe to consume and to remember that green tea contains caffeine.
For more information on herbal medicines in pregnancy go to NHS webpage
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Alcohol
The safest approach may be to avoid all alcoholic drinks during pregnancy.
In 2016, the Department of Health (DH) updated the guidelines for alcohol consumption and the Chief Medical Officer now recommends the following to pregnant women:
Drinking heavily during pregnancy is linked to:
- early miscarriage
- premature birth
- restricted growth in the womb
- stillbirth
- illness in infancy and childhood
- learning difficulties and behavioural problems in infancy and childhood
- fetal alcohol syndrome (problems found in children whose mothers drank heavily during pregnancy such as facial abnormalities, heart defects,
- poor growth and severe mental and developmental problems)
If pregnant women are concerned or unsure about alcohol use during pregnancy they should talk to their GP or midwife.
Key references
NHS Choices (2015) Why should I avoid some foods during pregnancy?
NHS Choices (2017) Foods to avoid in pregnancy
BDA (2016) Food Fact Sheet – Pregnancy
Tommy’s (2016) Foods to avoid in pregnancy
