Diet taboos during pregnancy preparation

There is no absolute "blacklist of fasting" during pregnancy preparation. The only three categories that need to be completely avoided are alcohol, tobacco (including second-hand and third-hand smoke), and teratogenic drugs not prescribed by the doctor.； Raw/undercooked food and high-mercury marine fish are high-risk categories and are recommended to be avoided as much as possible ； There is no need to completely avoid the other so-called "cold foods", "coffee, milk tea", etc., as long as the intake is controlled and there is no physical discomfort after eating.

Let’s talk about the most non-negotiable hard requirement first. Alcohol is the red line drawn by all experts in the field of reproductive medicine and public health. There is no saying that “it’s okay to drink a small amount”. Even if it is fruit wine, beer, or cooking wine for cooking, as long as there is alcohol intake, there is a risk of fetal alcohol syndrome, which may lead to fetal development malformations and mental retardation. When I was working as a volunteer assistant in the reproductive department, I met a girl who drank half a cup of pre-mixed cocktail at a friend's party before she was trying to get pregnant. She went home and cried all night for fear of affecting the baby. In fact, there is no need to be overly anxious if the dose is very low occasionally, but it must be completely avoided during routine pregnancy preparation. The same goes for tobacco. Even if you don't smoke it, you should try to avoid being in an environment where people smoke for a long time. The risk of teratogenesis is clear. As for medicines, whether they are cold medicines or medicines for chronic diseases, you must consult a reproductive doctor for evaluation before preparing for pregnancy. Do not take them casually, and do not be afraid to prepare for pregnancy just because you have taken emergency contraceptive pills once before. Once metabolized, there will be no effect.

Having said that there is nothing controversial about it, let’s talk about the high-risk foods that people ask about the most and have the most confusing opinions. Guidelines for sashimi, soft-boiled eggs, unsterilized fresh milk, and meat grilled until bloodshot are indeed different in different regions: Guidelines from many European and American countries will indicate that as long as the sashimi is formally traceable and has a complete cold chain, it can be eaten in moderation. However, most domestic reproductive doctors will recommend that they be completely taboo. The core is that our food cold chain and traceability system is not that perfect. In case of infection with Listeria and Toxoplasma gondii, the risk of miscarriage and teratogenesis is several times higher than that of ordinary people. When my ex-colleague was trying to get pregnant last year, she was so greedy that she ate raw sweet shrimp from a Japanese restaurant. She had diarrhea for two days. Although there was no problem during the final prenatal check-up, she was so frightened that she couldn't sleep well for half a month. She was so greedy that she could eat enough after the baby was born. There are also high-mercury marine fish, such as sharks, swordfish, and tilefish, which are clearly to be avoided no matter where they are. Excessive mercury will affect fetal neurological development. Low-mercury fish such as ordinary salmon, cod, and croaker can supplement DHA and are good for the body if eaten two or three times a week.

What makes everyone most anxious is actually the "folk taboo list" that is circulating on the Internet. When I was preparing for pregnancy, my mother also prevented me from eating crabs, saying that the cold could easily cause miscarriage. We argued several times about this. This part is indeed controversial. The view of evidence-based medicine is that coffee is completely safe as long as the daily caffeine intake does not exceed 200mg (about one medium cup of American coffee, or two cups of instant coffee). Foods such as crab, watermelon, and iced milk tea, as long as they are fresh and thoroughly cooked, and you are not allergic or have diarrhea. How much you eat depends on your own body feelings. However, the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine is more biased. If you have problems with uterine cold, dysmenorrhea, and weak spleen and stomach, you should try to avoid cold and irritating foods as much as possible to avoid aggravating the burden on the body. When my best friend was preparing for pregnancy, Western medicine said that one cup of coffee a day was fine, but she had a fast heartbeat and insomnia every time she drank it. Later, she took the initiative to switch to decaffeinated coffee, and she felt better. There is another girl who is even more exaggerated. When she was preparing for pregnancy, she did not even dare to drink water at room temperature. She drank hot water for three months. Finally, she developed oral ulcers for half a month, and her hormone levels were messed up. On the contrary, it delayed the time of conception, which was completely outweighed by the gain.

After all, in fact, the most taboo thing when preparing for pregnancy is not eating the wrong thing, but the emotional internal consumption caused by excessive anxiety. I have seen too many girls cry because they took one more sip of Coke or two more bites of ice cream. They feel that they are "irresponsible" and there is really no need. Eat a normal and balanced diet, eat more fresh vegetables, fruits and lean meats, take folic acid supplements three months in advance, and eat less high-sugar and high-fat takeaways to keep your body and mind comfortable. It is much more effective than digging into the details of dozens of taboos.