A Guide for Pregnant Women
When you’re pregnant, it’s important to follow a healthy diet to make sure that you and your baby get the nutrients you need. But you and your baby are both more vulnerable to foodborne illness, so it’s important to follow food safety advice and avoid eating foods that place you at higher risk.
Although Canada has one of the best food safety systems in the world, there are still 11 to 13 million cases of foodborne illness across the country each year. That means your ability to stay healthy—whether or not you’re pregnant—depends on what food you eat, how well you store your food at home, and how carefully you prepare it before you eat.
During pregnancy:
- Your immune system is weaker, making it harder to fight disease and easier to get sick from germs in your food.
- Certain germs can cross the placenta, making it more likely that your baby will be infected. Your unborn baby's immune system is not developed enough to fight off harmful bacteria.
- Pregnant women are 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get listeriosis, which can make your baby sick or lead to premature birth or stillbirth.
- Direct contact with soil and cat feces can expose you to a parasite called Toxoplasma gondii. If you can, avoid cleaning out the cat box while you’re pregnant. If you must change litter or work in the garden, wear gloves and wash your hands carefully afterwards.
- If you drink water from a private well, rather than a city water system, have your supply tested three times a year.
Canada has stringent regulations in place to make sure the food we buy is free from contamination and safe to eat. Any business that produces or sells food—from farmers and food processors to supermarkets, delis, butchers, and restaurants—must meet these standards.
As the consumer, once you buy a food product, you are the next link in the chain that keeps your food safe and healthy. This website will give you the information you need to guide you in choosing the right foods, and preparing and storing them safely.
What is a Foodborne Illness?
Foodborne illness is sometimes called “food poisoning.” It’s what happens when a person eats food contaminated with germs, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Depending on the type of germs and how many are in the food, symptoms of foodborne illness could include any or all of:
- Stomach cramps
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headache and fever
Symptoms can begin a few hours or a few days after eating contaminated food. Foodborne illness does not usually last long. But while most people recover completely from foodborne illness, longer-term health effects can include kidney failure and anaemia.
Food Safety For Higher Risk Canadians is brought to you by the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) supported through an unrestricted educational grant from Maple Leaf Foods Inc.