Can food poisoning affect the outcome of the pregnancy?
Bacterial intestinal infections during pregnancy are by no means harmless. Under normal circumstances, food poisoning might just mean a couple of extra trips to the toilet, but during pregnancy, it can create serious threats for mother and baby.
Expectant mothers have an increased susceptibility to the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes, especially in the third trimester. The reasons are not very clear [1]. Listeriosis is not just less tolerated during pregnancy. Unfortunately, very often these bacteria lead to premature birth or loss of the baby [2]. The main sources of infection are meat with blood, unpasteurized milk and soft cheeses.
Salmonellosis affects pregnant women no more often than everyone else. But if you experience nausea, vomiting and fever, then the baby could be at risk of intrauterine sepsis [3]. Salmonella is most commonly ingested from raw eggs and raw fish.
E. coli is the most common cause of food poisoning. It accounts for more than 40% of all intestinal infections. If you get E. coli when pregnant, the closer you are to delivery, the higher the level of threat to the baby [4]. There are many possible sources of infection, but the most common is your own unwashed hands.
The main recommendations for avoiding and preventing food poisoning when pregnant come down not to the choice of products but to methods of processing them and to adherence to generally accepted hygiene standards:
Wash your hands before eating and before cooking.
Wash raw foods (fruits, berries, leafy vegetables) thoroughly and individually.
Cook the eggs until the yolk hardens.
Bake fish until cooked all the way through.
Cook meat and poultry until the inside temperature reaches 167-176° F (75-80 C). Use a meat thermometer [5].
