Foods to avoid during pregnancy

Certain foods carry real risks during pregnancy due to bacteria, parasites, high mercury levels, or other compounds that can harm your developing baby. The main categories to avoid: raw or undercooked meat and seafood (risk of listeria, salmonella, toxoplasma), high-mercury fish such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish, unpasteurized dairy and soft cheeses like brie and camembert, raw sprouts, unwashed produce, deli meats and hot dogs unless heated until steaming, and more than 200mg of caffeine daily (roughly one 12oz cup of coffee). Alcohol has no established safe level in pregnancy and is best avoided entirely.

When in doubt, heat it or skip it.