In this article

Body weight and fertility and your partner… A balanced diet

Weight gain Nutrients for pregnancy

Foods to avoid Troubleshooting

Calcium

Your requirements of this essential mineral double during pregnancy, and are particularly high during the last ten weeks when calcium is being laid down in your baby's bones. Despite this, no dietary increase is thought necessary because your body adapts to absorb more calcium from foods eaten.

Good sources include milk and dairy foods such as cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais. Pregnant women should aim to have three servings of foods from this group every day - typical servings include a glass of milk, milk with cereal, a small matchbox size chunk of hard cheese or a small pot of yoghurt (125g to 150g). Other sources include bread, green vegetables, canned fish with soft, edible bones (salmon, sardines and pilchards), dried apricots, sesame seeds, tofu, fortified orange juice and fortified soya milk.

Getting help

If you are pregnant and on a low income, or claim income support, you may be entitled to vouchers that can be spent on foods such as milk and fresh fruit and vegetables. You may also be able to get free vitamin supplements. Speak to your midwife or health visitor who will be able to advise you on what's available.

Food poisoning

Pregnant women should be careful not to expose themselves to the risk of food poisoning, which can be dangerous to the unborn baby, especially in the case of listeriosis and toxoplasmosis.

If you follow the guidelines below, your risk of food poisoning will be low.

• Always wash your hands before preparing food
• Keep kitchen surfaces, cooking utensils and tea towels scrupulously clean
• Store cooked and ready-to-eat food in separate containers and shelves in the fridge; don't let juices from raw or thawing meat or fish drip onto other foods
• Use separate chopping boards for preparing meat or poultry, and fruit and vegetables
• Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly to remove dirt and soil
• Never eat food that has passed its use-by date
• Cook food thoroughly and according to manufacturers' instructions
• Cool leftover food quickly and use within 24 hours
• Wash your hands carefully after touching any animals
• Avoid cat litter trays - if you need to touch them, wear gloves

When pregnant, you should avoid certain foods that may increase the risk of developing food poisoning. These include:

Some types of cheese

Avoid cheeses such as Camembert, Brie or others that have a similar rind. You should also avoid blue-veined cheeses like Stilton. All of these cheeses can contain listeria, which is a type of bacteria that can be harmful to your unborn baby. There's no risk associated with hard cheeses such as Cheddar or with cottage cheese, processed cheese or cheese spread.

Pâté

This can contain listeria so it's best to avoid all types.

Raw or partially cooked eggs

Eggs can contain salmonella, which causes a type of food poisoning. Eat eggs that have been cooked thoroughly, so both the white and yolk is solid. Avoid eating foods that may contain raw eggs or partially-cooked eggs such as homemade mayonnaise, salad dressings and ice creams. Most shop-bought mayonnaise and other salad dressings contain pasteurised egg, which is fine.

Raw or undercooked meat or fish

Eat well-cooked meat that's very hot all the way through and is no longer pink in colour.

Some types of fish

Some fish contain mercury, which at high levels can affect the development of an unborn baby's nervous system.

Avoid eating shark, swordfish and marlin, and limit how much tuna you eat to no more than two fresh tuna steaks a week or four cans (one can = 185g) of tuna a week to minimise the toxicity risk.

You can eat all other types of fish, and you should as part of a healthy diet. Aim for at least two portions a week, one of which should be oily fish.

Raw shellfish

Avoid raw shellfish when you're pregnant, as it can sometimes contain bacteria and viruses that may cause food poisoning. Well-cooked shellfish is fine.