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Is Having Eggs During Pregnancy Safe?

When you get pregnant, even common foods are looked upon with suspicion. You suddenly start asking yourself if you can eat this or that without harming the baby. Some foods like papaya, pineapple and Chinese grass are famously forbidden for pregnant women. But in India, even eating eggs during pregnancy can cause lots of controversy. Many traditional beliefs point out the fact that having eggs during pregnancy is not safe.

PAPAYA SAFE OR UNSAFE DURING PREGNANCY?PAPAYA SAFE OR UNSAFE DURING PREGNANCY?

Your doctor is certain to blow away this thought but mothers and grandmothers often counsel pregnant women not to eat eggs, especially during the first trimester of their pregnancy. The reasons for that is the following.

Having Eggs During Pregnancy

Why Eggs Are Considered Unsafe?

  • Egg is a food that increases body heat. And anything that raises your body heat is considered bad for the baby. A rise in body heat makes you prone to miscarriage or that is what people believed before the advent of modern science.
  • Eggs can be difficult to digest. Eggs are not easy to digest, especially for a pregnant woman whose hormones are going completely crazy.
  • Eggs also have a pungent smell. Many pregnant women cannot stand the smell of eggs and that makes them puke. This could be one of the reasons egg is avoided in the first trimester of pregnancy.

Are Eggs Safe For Pregnant Women?

  • If you go by medical opinion, eggs are absolutely safe for pregnant women. In fact, having eggs during pregnancy is healthy because they contain lots of protein.
  • You should have at least 2 eggs every day during your pregnancy to ensure that your baby gets protein, calcium, Vitamin D, iron and omega-3 fatty acids. An egg comprises complete nutrition.
  • If you want to know how many eggs you can have during pregnancy, you should consult your doctor. Some women are asked to have more eggs if their baby is underweight during the last trimester of pregnancy.

Are All Forms Of Eggs Safe During Pregnancy?

Raw eggs or soft boiled eggs are best avoided during pregnancy because they have the chances of carrying a bacteria called Salmonella bacterium. This bacteria can grow inside unbroken eggs as well but gets destroyed by cooking. Always have hard boiled eggs during pregnancy. Also, do not store the cooked eggs for too long. Try to have eggs freshly cooked. Avoid eating foods like mayonnaise and pudding that contain uncooked eggs.

Story first published: Tuesday, July 1, 2014, 14:20 [IST]
Read more about: pregnancy food pregnancy prenatal