Do Not Do These Things During Pregnancy!

Expecting mothers should develop proper eating habits during pregnancy, which is crucial for successfully navigating this period. Healthy development of the baby in the womb, the mother's trouble-free pregnancy, and a healthy delivery can only be achieved through adequate, balanced and quality nutrition. In fact, it is a much better approach to start a healthy nutrition programme before pregnancy. With proper eating habits, precautions can be taken against premature birth, low birth weight and many important health problems that may occur in the baby, while serious complications such as diabetes, high blood pressure, gestational toxaemia, bone loss, obesity and postpartum depression can be prevented in expectant mothers.

"A proper nutrition programme should be followed"

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Meşeci, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Acıbadem Kozyatağı Hospital, points out that general healthy eating rules are also valid during pregnancy, and says: "You should follow a nutrition programme that will ensure ideal weight gain, meet your macro and micronutrient needs, support your immune system and provide modifications suitable for any health problems you may have. For this, half of your plate should contain plenty of colourful seasonal vegetables, 1/4 protein and 1/4 complex carbohydrates. Also, do not neglect consuming 2-2.5 litres of water throughout the day." However, some nutritional mistakes made during pregnancy can seriously threaten the health of mother and baby, and worse, can lead to fatal consequences! Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Meşeci, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Acıbadem Kozyatağı Hospital, explained the nutritional mistakes you should avoid for a healthy pregnancy and provided important recommendations and warnings.

Eating a limited diet

Eating inadequately and poorly during pregnancy virtually invites serious health problems in both the baby and the expectant mother. For example, iron deficiency can cause anaemia, which not only leads to insufficient growth of the baby but can also create symptoms such as weakness, palpitations and heart failure in the mother. Insufficient calcium intake prevents healthy development of the baby's bone and skeletal system, while in the mother it can result in gestational toxaemia and bone loss. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Meşeci says: "Actually, the most overlooked important aspect of adequate and balanced nutrition during pregnancy is that the baby's risk of cardiometabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure or coronary heart disease in adulthood, and intellectual capacity are closely linked to how healthily the expectant mother eats." Therefore, during pregnancy, you and your baby need to develop a balanced and adequate nutrition programme that will meet your needs for iron, calcium, vitamin D, vitamins A and B, omega-3 fatty acids (EPA+DHA), protein and energy. Consuming vegetables and fruits according to the season is another important point you should pay attention to.

Overdoing caffeine

Caffeine is eliminated more slowly from the body during pregnancy and can cross the placenta and enter the baby's blood circulation. Some studies have shown that high-dose caffeine consumption during pregnancy can cause miscarriage, premature birth and low birth weight. It can also cause palpitations, high blood pressure, anxiety, abdominal pain and diarrhoea in the mother. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists states that caffeine consumption during pregnancy should be less than 200 mg per day. Coffee, black tea, green tea, energy drinks, cola and chocolate are sources of caffeine-containing beverages and foods. A cup of Turkish coffee contains 50-60 mg, 1 cup of filter coffee contains 150-200 mg, and 1 cup of black tea contains 20-40 mg of caffeine.

Skipping breakfast

"Eating breakfast is essential for replenishing the glucose consumed during the night and balancing blood sugar," warns Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Meşeci, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, and continues: "Not eating breakfast is of particular importance during pregnancy. If this meal is skipped, the expectant mother may develop problems such as weakness, fatigue, headaches and low blood pressure during the day. For breakfast, you can prepare a bowl of cereal made from oatmeal, milk or yoghurt, fruit and fatty seeds such as nuts and walnuts; or you can start your day with a vegetable omelette, cheese, wholegrain bread, honey and a colourful seasonal salad."

Eating for two

Expectant mothers may fall into the important mistake of eating 'for two' during pregnancy, thinking that their baby will be healthier. This false belief, which can lead to unnecessary weight gain, causes more harm than good to both the expectant mother and the baby. In fact, excessive weight gain during pregnancy can cause premature birth, gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, gestational toxaemia, abnormal growth and development in the baby, shoulder dystocia during delivery; and in the postpartum period, thromboembolism, anaemia, wound infections, hypoglycaemia in the newborn and polycythaemia (increase in red blood cells). Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Meşeci, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, emphasises that the ideal weight gain during pregnancy is determined according to the body mass index at the time of pregnancy, and says: "If the expectant mother is overweight, she should gain 5-11 kg, if she is of normal weight, 11.5-16 kg, and if she is underweight, 12.5-18 kg throughout the entire pregnancy. Although it varies depending on the mother's weight, generally there is no additional calorie requirement in the first trimester, while in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters an additional 300-450 calories per day is sufficient," he says.

Consuming harmful foods

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elif Meşeci, Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, lists the foods you should avoid during pregnancy as follows: • Unpasteurised raw milk and dairy products, unpasteurised cheese: These foods, which can contain bacteria such as Listeria, can cause infections in mother and baby. • Raw eggs: Foods made with raw eggs such as mayonnaise, salad dressing, tiramisu and mousse can cause salmonella infection. • Undercooked or lightly cooked red meat, chicken, fish: Various bacteria and parasites, particularly toxoplasma, which can cause serious problems such as miscarriage and premature birth, can be found in these foods. • Deep-sea fish and shellfish with high heavy metal content such as mercury: Heavy metals can damage the baby's brain and nervous system and impair cognitive and motor development. For this reason, you should prefer surface fish such as sardines, anchovies, mackerel and horse mackerel, and preferably eat small fish like anchovies with their skeletons. This way, in addition to meeting omega-3 requirements, calcium and vitamin D needs are also met with fish. • Processed, burnt, trans fat-containing foods (fast food) / canned foods: Especially processed meat products and smoked meats, as they can carry many bacteria such as Listeria and contain toxic additives, consumption of foods in this group is not recommended during pregnancy.