Lifestyle and dietary advice

for pregnant women

Information to help you promote and protect

your health in pregnancy

Excellent Care with Compassion

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Work
You should be able to continue working during your pregnancy,
but your midwife will ask about your job to see whether it might
involve any risks to you or your baby’s health. You can find out more
information from the Health and Safety Executive (www.hse.gov.
uk.pubns/indg373)

Information about your maternity rights and benefits can be obtained

from your midwife or antenatal clinic

Exercise
It is important to continue to exercise during pregnancy, but some
vigorous activities and contact sports may carry extra risks such as
falling or straining your joints. Scuba diving should be avoided as it
can cause problems in the developing baby

Alcohol
You should avoid alcohol for, at least, the first three months of your
pregnancy as it may increase the risk of miscarriage. If you choose
to drink later in your pregnancy you should drink no more than 2
units* of alcohol once a week. Getting drunk or binge drinking can
harm your baby.

*1 UK unit =Half a pint of beer/lager or single measure of spirits

A small glass of wine contains 1.5 UK units

Smoking
Smoking is known to be harmful to the unborn baby. It increases
the risk of miscarriage, of your baby being born too early and being
underweight. Giving up smoking is one of the most important things
you can do for your baby. Exposure to second hand smoke if your
partner or other family members smoke can also harm your baby.
You will be offered carbon monoxide monitoring to help you assess
this risk. Your midwife can put you (and any other member of your
family) in touch with the local Smoking Cessation Service for advice

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and support.
You can also phone the NHS Pregnancy Smoking Helpline on
0800 169 9 169

Cannabis
The effects of cannabis on the unborn baby are uncertain, but it is
thought it may be harmful.

If you are using any drug or habit-forming substance please tell your
midwife as soon as possible so that you and your baby can receive
any necessary specialist care.

Prescription and over-the-counter medicines

You should use as few over-the-counter medicines as possible. Ask
your pharmacist for advice if necessary.
Your doctor will only prescribe medicines when the benefits to you
outweigh any risks to your baby.

Complementary therapies
You should not assume that complementary therapies are safe and
effective during pregnancy. You should check with your midwife or
doctor if you wish to use these therapies

Personal hygiene
You are at greater risk of getting infections when you are pregnant.
Hand washing and wearing clean clothes is therefore very
important. If your vaginal discharge becomes coloured or smells
offensive you should tell your midwife or doctor straightaway

Sexual activity
There is no evidence that sexual activity during pregnancy is
harmful

Travel
When you travel by car you should always wear a three-point

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seatbelt above and below your bump, not over it.

If you are planning to travel abroad you should talk to your midwife
or doctor about the risks of flying and any vaccinations you may
need.
Pregnancy may increase the risk of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT)
associated with long-haul flights. Correctly fitted compression
stockings, drinking plenty of water and moving around as much as
possible during the flight can help to reduce the risk.
Make sure that your travel insurance cover includes pregnancy
associated conditions

Diet and food hygiene

When you are pregnant it is important to eat a varied and healthy

diet including plenty of fruit and vegetables. Avoid high fat and
sugary foods and do not “eat for two.” If you gain a lot of weight
during your pregnancy it can be very difficult to lose afterwards.

Folic acid
You will be advised to take folic acid tablets (400 micrograms a day)
for the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy. This will reduce the risk of
your baby suffering a neural tube defect such as spina bifida. In this
condition, parts of the backbone do not develop properly causing
damage to the spinal cord or other nerve tissue.

Vitamin A
You should not take vitamin A supplements in pregnancy because
high levels of this vitamin can cause abnormalities in unborn babies.
Avoid eating liver and products containing liver, such as pate, as
they may contain high levels of vitamin A.

Iron supplements
You do not need to take iron supplements during pregnancy unless
you are advised to do so by your doctor or midwife. Routine iron

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supplements do not improve health and can have unpleasant side
effects, such as constipation
Vitamin D
This vitamin is essential to the development of healthy bones and
teeth.
It is mostly obtained from sunlight and Vitamin D deficiency can be
a risk if you stay indoors a lot, cover your skin when you go out, or
your family origin is South Asian, Afro-Caribbean or Middle Eastern.
Young women below the age of 25 also seem to be at greater risk of
vitamin D deficiency.

A small amount of vitamin D is obtained from foods such as oily

fish, eggs, and vitamin D-fortified margarine and cereals. You
can increase your vitamin D intake further by taking a vitamin D
supplement (10 micrograms a day) as found in the Healthy Start
multivitamin supplement. Your midwife can advise you where to
get this locally. You can find out more about Healthy Start at www.
healthystart.nhs.uk

Ramadan and fasting in pregnancy

Pregnant women are excused from fasting during Ramadan.
If you are being sick, or have other health problems, it is important
that you do not fast

Food hygiene
Food hygiene is important at all times to avoid bacterial infections
such listeriosis and salmonella. During pregnancy these infections
could harm your unborn baby so it is also best:
• To make sure any milk you drink is pasteurised or UHT milk
• To avoid eating blue-veined cheese and mould-ripened cheeses
such as Brie and Camembert
• To avoid eating pate
• To avoid eating uncooked or under-cooked ready-prepared
meals
• To avoid eating raw or partially cooked eggs or foods that may

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 contain them, such as mayonnaise
• To avoid eating raw or partially cooked meat, especially poultry
• Toxoplasmosis is an infection that would not usually cause
symptoms in a healthy pregnant woman but could possibly affect
her unborn baby. The infection can be caught from undercooked
or uncooked meat (even if it is cured), the faeces of infected cats
and contaminated soil or water. To avoid infection it is best to:
• Wash your hands before and after handling food
• Wash all fruit and vegetables before eating
• Thoroughly cook raw meats and ready-prepared chilled meats
• Wear gloves when gardening or handling soil and wash your
hands thoroughly afterwards
• Avoid contact with cat faeces (in cat litter or soil)

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Sources of further information

www.lancsteachinghospitals.nhs.uk
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
www.patient.co.uk

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is not

responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Please ask if you would like help in understanding this information.

This information can be made available in large print and in other
languages.

Department:
Directorate: Women’s Health
Production date: July 2013
Review date: July 2016
LTHTR/Tr/2013october/10

Excellent Care with Compassion