Foods to skip in pregnancy, and what to have instead.

A short list you can stick on the fridge. For each one: why it's on the list, a safer swap, and where the advice comes from. Most of these are about germs that cooking or pasteurizing takes care of.

Iron-rich foods

Raw or undercooked fish and shellfish

Skip: Sushi and sashimi with raw fish, raw oysters and clams, ceviche, and refrigerated smoked fish like lox or nova.
Why: Raw seafood can carry germs like Salmonella, and refrigerated smoked fish can carry Listeria. Pregnancy makes Listeria infection more likely, and it can affect the baby.
Instead: Cooked rolls (shrimp tempura, veggie, cooked eel), fish cooked until it flakes, and smoked fish in a sealed shelf-stable pack or cooked into a dish until steaming hot.

Source: FDA: Food safety for pregnant women, their unborn babies and children under five · CDC: Preventing Listeria infection

Raw or undercooked meat and poultry

Skip: Rare or pink meat, steak tartare, undercooked burgers and poultry.
Why: Undercooked meat can carry Toxoplasma, a parasite that can harm a baby, and germs like Salmonella and E. coli.
Instead: Meat and poultry cooked all the way through. A food thermometer is the easiest check.

Source: FDA: Toxoplasma, food safety for moms-to-be · FDA: Food safety for pregnant women, their unborn babies and children under five

Raw or runny eggs

Skip: Soft or runny yolks, raw cookie dough or cake batter, and homemade dressings, sauces or drinks made with raw egg.
Why: Raw eggs can carry Salmonella.
Instead: Eggs cooked until the yolk and white are firm, and egg dishes cooked to 160°F.

Source: FDA: Food safety for pregnant women, their unborn babies and children under five

Unpasteurized milk, juice and soft cheeses

Skip: Raw (unpasteurized) milk and juice, and soft cheeses like brie, camembert, blue cheese, feta and queso fresco unless the label says made with pasteurized milk.
Why: Unpasteurized milk and cheese made from it can carry Listeria. Unpasteurized juice can carry E. coli and Salmonella.
Instead: Pasteurized milk, yogurt and juice. Hard cheeses, and soft cheeses labeled made with pasteurized milk, like cottage cheese, cream cheese, string cheese and mozzarella.

Source: FDA: Food safety for pregnant women, their unborn babies and children under five · CDC: Preventing Listeria infection

Deli meat and hot dogs, unless heated

Skip: Cold cuts, deli turkey or ham, hot dogs and other ready-to-eat meats straight from the fridge.
Why: Ready-to-eat refrigerated meats can carry Listeria.
Instead: Heat them to 165°F or until steaming hot, like a toasted sandwich or a hot dog cooked through.

Source: CDC: Preventing Listeria infection · FDA: Listeria, food safety for moms-to-be

High-mercury fish

Skip: King mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico and bigeye tuna.
Why: Mercury can harm a baby's developing brain and nervous system.
Instead: Keep eating fish. Aim for 8 to 12 oz a week (2 to 3 servings) from the lower-mercury best choices, like salmon, shrimp, cod, sardines and canned light tuna.

Source: FDA and EPA: Advice about eating fish

Raw sprouts

Skip: Raw alfalfa, clover, mung bean and radish sprouts, on sandwiches, salads and bowls.
Why: Raw sprouts can carry germs like Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria.
Instead: Sprouts cooked until steaming hot, or crunch from shredded cabbage, cucumber or snap peas.

Source: CDC: Preventing Listeria infection · FDA: Food safety for pregnant women, their unborn babies and children under five

Liver and extra vitamin A

Skip: Liver and foods made with liver, and supplements with vitamin A (retinol) beyond your prenatal vitamin.
Why: Liver is very high in vitamin A. Too much of this kind of vitamin A can harm a baby.
Instead: Other iron-rich foods, like lean beef, beans and lentils, and fortified cereals. Ask your OB or midwife before adding any supplement.

Source: NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

Caffeine over 200 mg a day

Skip: Coffee, tea, energy drinks, soda and chocolate all count toward the total.
Why: ACOG says moderate caffeine, less than 200 mg a day, does not appear to be a major factor in miscarriage or preterm birth.
Instead: Decaf or half-caf, herbal teas your care team is happy with, or sparkling water.

Source: ACOG Committee Opinion 462: Moderate caffeine consumption during pregnancy

Alcohol

Skip: Beer, wine, spirits and mixed drinks.
Why: The CDC says there is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy.
Instead: Sparkling water with citrus or berries, or a fancy mocktail.

Source: CDC: About alcohol use during pregnancy

How Imi helps

With the pregnancy focus on, Imi flags raw or undercooked fish, meat and eggs, unpasteurized cheese, deli meat, high-mercury fish, raw sprouts and liver on recipes, keeps them off your plan, and shows the reason on the recipe. It also counts your caffeine for the day.

This list covers the common ones, not every food. Your OB or midwife knows your pregnancy, so ask them about anything you're unsure of. General education about food, not medical advice.

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