Everyone needs to take care of themselves to be healthy and live a healthy life. In particular, a healthy and balanced diet guarantees both a healthy life free from disease and a longer, more comfortable life. During pregnancy, this is even more important than at other times. Proper and balanced nutrition is essential for both the baby's development and the mother's health. Carefully researching each food consumed, knowing which foods are beneficial and which are harmful, will help prevent potential problems during this period. However, some foods consumed unknowingly and without awareness can be quite harmful to both the mother and the baby.
Some Foodborne Infections During Pregnancy
1. Listeriosis
This infection, caused by a bacterium called Listeria monocytogenes, is transmitted to animals through sewage water. From there, it spreads to vegetables and fruits grown in the soil, milk and dairy products, meat, and minced meat via fertilizers. Pregnant women can contract this infection from fresh cheese, unpasteurized milk and dairy products, or undercooked meat and minced meat. Listeriosis can lead to serious consequences if not treated urgently. It can cause miscarriage or stillbirth, increase the risk of premature birth, or result in a baby being born ill and subsequently developing the disease. Listeriosis often presents with symptoms similar to a common cold, such as fever and chills, headache, and back pain, which is why it is often diagnosed late. Therefore, I recommend contacting your doctor immediately if you experience any symptoms.
2. Salmonella
Salmonella, transmitted through chicken and eggs, reaches the digestive system and causes food poisoning. Symptoms such as headache, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and chills appear within 6-48 hours of the bacteria entering the body. To avoid salmonella, food should be cooked properly, hand hygiene should be observed, and foods like eggs, milk, and cream should never be consumed raw.
3. Botulism
Botulinum toxin, the active ingredient in Botox treatment, which is quite popular today, can cause serious food poisoning. Botulism is caused by canned foods and foods that are not stored under proper conditions. The disease begins to manifest with preliminary symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, and headache 12-36 days after consuming the contaminated food, and then progresses to paralysis.
4. Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis, which is thought to cause miscarriages or stillbirths and is often transmitted from cats, is actually caused by the bacterium Toxoplasma Gondii, found in the intestines of domestic cats, and spreads through their feces. However, for the infection to be transmitted to humans or other animals, it must enter through the mouth. To avoid contracting this disease, proper hand hygiene must be maintained after contact with cat feces, meat or meat products should be cooked thoroughly before consumption, and all food items should be washed very well.
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