In everyday life, the pregnant mother is exposed to various harmful toxins that may affect the unborn baby’s health and wellbeing. Care should be taken to eliminate these harmful substances effectively.
1. Lead in the form of paints used during remodeling or painting the house, handling of batteries, jewellery making processes, etc. may contain higher doses of the metal. It gets absorbed into the mother’s blood when she accidentally consumes food contaminated with it from the surroundings. It can easily cross the placenta and can cause premature birth and miscarriage.
2. Some fishes like shark, swordfish, and tuna contain high levels of mercury. Exposure to high levels of mercury can damage the baby’s developing nervous system.
3. Unpasteurised milk contains bacteria that can cause diseases like tuberculosis. Drink only pasteurised milk. Mold-ripened soft cheese may contain bacteria that lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or severe illness in a newborn baby. It is better to avoid consuming raw unpasteurised cheese products.
4. Raw or undercooked foods may be contaminated by bacteria that can harm the developing baby and cause illness in mother. Cook all meat and poultry thoroughly, as noticed by a change in colour and composition.
5. Harmful bacteria and viruses that can cause food poisoning are found in raw uncooked shellfish and other varieties of fish. Hence it should be avoided.
6. Some medicines like over the counter painkillers, drugs for asthma, thyroid disease, diabetes, and epilepsy have teratogenic effects (those that can cause defects in the growth and development of the unborn baby). Inform your doctor if you have been on any long-term medication or condition so that alternate medications are prescribed that do not affect the baby.
7. Illegal drugs like cannabis, ecstasy, cocaine, and heroin can harm your baby and are prohibited for use under the law in most of the countries.
8. Treatments like hair colouring using chemical dyes, bleaching with hydrogen peroxide is best avoided until after the first trimester. Pregnancy itself can naturally change the hair’s texture. It may also cause your hair to react differently to colouring. It is advisable to wait until after pregnancy to treat your hair.
9. X-rays, CT scan, should be avoided, especially during the first few weeks of pregnancy during which the formation of various organs of the fetus takes place. Many studies have shown that deaths from leukemia and other neoplasms were significantly greater among children exposed to intrauterine X-rays. Make sure that your doctor or the technician know you are pregnant
10. Avoid hot tubs and saunas as few studies have found that they hinder in body thermostat mechanism and can cause hyperthermia (increase in body temperature) and may harm the baby.