Foods to consider when eating during the first 3 months of pregnancy

This is an automatically translated article.

This article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Truong Nghia Binh - Obstetrician-Gynecologist - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Da Nang International General Hospital.
The first months of pregnancy is an extremely important period for the formation and development of the fetus, so pregnant mothers need to make adjustments in their lifestyle and activities to adapt to the changes of the body. while minimizing the risk of harm to the unborn baby. In which, nutrition is considered the top concern of mothers.

1. Fruits, vegetables

Pay attention to washing fruits and vegetables; can be soaked in salt water to eliminate all harmful bacteria before use.
Avoid eating raw vegetables, they are more likely to be potential pathogens.
Avoid using fresh fruit juices outside, of unknown origin. Fruit if not washed, there is a risk of the existence of bacteria that are harmful to the health of the mother and the fetus such as E. coli and salmonella. It is recommended to prepare and enjoy the juice at home to ensure hygiene and health.
Some fruits and vegetables should be avoided during the first 3 months of pregnancy
Pineapple
Pineapple contains bromelain, which is an enzyme capable of breaking down proteins. In addition, this ingredient also works to soften the cervix, causing contractions during pregnancy. Therefore, pregnant women are advised not to use pineapple as well as mid-term products during the first 3 months of pregnancy, to avoid the risk of miscarriage or stillbirth.
Green papaya
In green papaya contains enzymes capable of causing uterine contractions leading to miscarriage, so it is necessary to absolutely avoid using green papaya in the first 3 months of pregnancy. However, ripe papaya is a very good food for pregnant women, which contains many important nutrients for mother and baby such as folate, choline, beta-carotene, potassium, vitamins A, B, C, fiber...
Moringa
Moringa is a food with high nutritional value, helping the body to supplement vitamins, iron and potassium. However, the ingredient in this vegetable contains alpha sitosterol – structurally similar to oestrogen, which has the potential to cause miscarriage.
Pickled vegetables
Pickled vegetables are usually prepared by mixing some vegetables with salt, then fermented sourly under the action of some microorganisms. During the fermentation process, the nitrate factor in microorganisms will convert to nitrite, causing the nitrite content to increase. The use of foods containing a lot of nitrite can be harmful to pregnant women, so it is necessary to limit the consumption of pickled vegetables during the first 3 months of pregnancy.

2. Seafood

Avoid eating seafood with high mercury content
Seafood is a food source of high nutritional value, providing protein and omega-3 fatty acids that are good for the brain and eyes, but in the first 3 months should be limited Use seafood with high mercury content, because mercury entering the body will have a significant effect on the nervous system development in the fetus.
The Food Safety and Hygiene Department recommends that pregnant women avoid eating tuna, shark, mackerel, tilefish, swordfish. Instead, pregnant women can choose shrimp, salmon, anchovies, tilapia, pollock, these foods have been tested to contain small amounts of mercury, which are not dangerous for women. pregnant.
Avoid eating raw seafood that has not been processed or contaminated
Do not eat frozen seafood, raw seafood that has not been cooked such as raw oysters, scallops, clams, sashimi, sushi...
Avoid eat seafood of unknown origin or grown in a polluted environment.
Avoid eating crabs or crab products
Crab is a food with high nutritional value for ordinary people. However, in the case of pregnancy in the first 3 months, the mother needs to avoid eating crabs as well as crab products because they cause uterine contractions, internal bleeding, and even lead to stillbirth. In addition, crabs have a high cholesterol content, which adversely affects the health of the mother.
Details of fetal development week by week, every parent should learn:

3. Meat and meat products

Absolutely avoid eating raw or rare meat during pregnancy, because it may contain toxoplasma or other bacteria that are harmful to the health and development of the fetus.
Avoid using cold cuts or packaged sausages, frozen foods during pregnancy. Because Listeria bacteria often grow in low-temperature environments such as refrigerators, it is dangerous for pregnant women. If you want to eat, pregnant women need to cook meat or sausages and eat immediately after cooking.

4. Drinks

Avoid using beverages containing caffeine
Too much caffeine in the body will affect the nervous system, sleep quality, cause nervousness and stress in pregnant women. In addition, the passage of caffeine through the placenta affects the development of the fetus, increasing the risk of miscarriage.
Do not use alcohol and alcoholic beverages
During pregnancy, especially the first 3 months, the mother should avoid using alcohol and other alcoholic beverages. Their use can significantly affect the nervous system of the fetus as well as the child's later development.
Above are some comments about foods to pay attention to when using in the first 3 months of pregnancy. In order to have a healthy body and a fully developed fetus, pregnant mothers need to pay special attention to nutrition and avoid using foods that affect the health of mother and baby.
The first 3 months is the most sensitive time during pregnancy, in addition to paying attention to nutrition, for mother and baby to be healthy, parents should note:
Understand early signs of pregnancy , pregnancy poisoning , bleeding in pregnancy . Timely, correct and sufficient first prenatal check-up, avoiding too early/too late. Fetal malformation screening at 12 weeks detects dangerous fetal malformations that can be intervened early. Distinguish between normal vaginal bleeding and pathological vaginal bleeding for timely intervention to maintain pregnancy. Screening for thyroid disease in the first 3 months of pregnancy avoids dangerous risks before and during delivery. Vinmec currently has many maternity packages (12-27-36 weeks), in which the 12-week maternity package helps monitor the health of mother and baby right from the beginning of pregnancy, early detection and timely intervention of health issues. In addition to the usual services, the maternity monitoring program from 12 weeks has special services that other maternity packages do not have such as: Double Test or Triple Test to screen for fetal malformations; Quantitative angiogenesis factor test for preeclampsia; thyroid screening test; Rubella test; Testing for parasites transmitted from mother to child seriously affects the baby's brain and physical development after birth.
Doctor Truong Nghia Binh has over 13 years of experience in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology, has high expertise and long experience in the diagnosis and treatment of Obstetrics and Gynecology diseases.
For more information about the 12-week maternity package and registration, you can contact the clinics and hospitals of Vinmec health system nationwide.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.