The skin of rockmelon has a net-like texture with grooves, making it difficult to clean. Everybody is at risk of foodborne illness; however Listeria and Salmonella may cause very serious illnesses in vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, babies, the elderly and people with reduced immunity.
Eating watermelon during pregnancy is generally considered safe. However, this fruit is moderately rich in carbs and low in fiber, a combination that can cause blood sugar levels to spike ( 1 ).
The surface of rockmelons can become contaminated with bacteria such as Listeria by dirty water, direct contact with organic fertilisers, pests or animals in the field, or if they are not properly washed before sale.
While listeriosis can affect anyone, it's particularly worrying for pregnant women because it can cause miscarriage, stillbirth or premature birth. Newborn babies infected with listeria from their mother can become seriously ill with meningitis, blood poisoning or other infections.
Pregnant women are about 10 times more likely to get listeriosis than other healthy adults. An estimated 1/6 of all Listeria cases occur in pregnant women.
Babies born with listeriosis may have serious infections of the blood or brain. Listeriosis can cause lifelong health problems for your baby, including intellectual disability, paralysis, seizures, blindness, or problems with the brain, kidneys, or heart. Listeriosis also can cause death in newborns.
With the average kiwi containing about 17 micrograms (mcg) of folate, this fruit is a super-source you want to add to your diet. Although researchers aren't sure exactly how it works, folate (or its synthetic form, folic acid) is important in preventing neural tube defects (NTSs) in your baby.
1. May Hamper Sugar levels. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that means elevated glucose levels in the blood. Therefore, too much melon intake might not be ideal for diabetes as it may cause glucose overload, leading to elevated glucose levels.
Listeria can take advantage of this and cause the invasive listeriosis infection, with about one in six listeriosis cases (17%) in Australia occurring in pregnant women. The risk of infection seems to be highest in the third trimester.
Can Pregnant Women Eat At Subway? Subway sandwiches are safe for pregnant women to eat if they're heated until hot, rather than just warm. This means either microwaved for a few seconds or having the sandwich toasted – sometimes a little more than normal.
Moderate or severe dehydration may cause a threatened miscarriage. Severe dehydration during pregnancy can induce serious complications such as blood clots, neural tube defects, and seizures.
Some ready-to-eat foods, such as hot dogs, can become contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes after they have been processed and packaged at the plant. If it's not possible to reheat hot dogs, don't eat them.
Testing for listeria is usually done with a simple blood test. During pregnancy, ultrasounds may be used to detect symptoms of listeriosis in the baby.
You're safe to eat some milk and dairy foods, including: All hard cheeses, such as cheddar, Parmesan or Gruyere. Pasteurised semi-hard and soft cheeses, such as cottage cheese, mozzarella, feta, paneer, ricotta, halloumi, cream cheese, cheese spreads, or goat's cheese without a white coating on the outside (rind)
“If you're pregnant, you really shouldn't have deli meat,” Schaffner says. The only way to ensure that sliced deli meat is safe to eat, he adds, is by heating it to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, to guarantee that any lingering surface bacteria is killed off.
Good news: getting your hair dyed while pregnant is considered safe, especially in the second and third trimesters. Since most hair dyes have little contact with your scalp, the chance of any chemicals reaching your bloodstream, and therefore your baby, is low.
The official advice on eating McFlurries in pregnancy
NHS Wales says that soft ice cream is safe to eat in pregnancy, provided it's made with pasteurised milk and eggs. All McDonald's dairy products are pasteurised, so it should be fine for you to tuck into a McFlurry.