Stuff to avoid when you are pregnant (or trying)

The sperm quality of men has fallen 50% the last 40 years and 50% of all men have difficulty getting a woman pregnant, and for 25% it is virtually impossible to impregnate a woman.

The only way to change that statistic is for the mother to be very careful when carrying a baby, because it is inside the belly of the mother that fertility of a baby is determined, and cannot be changed later (unless for the worse).

Scary stuff?? I think so! Check the list below of what you can do if you are trying to get pregnant or is pregnant.

AVOID:

• Paint
• Perfume
• Chemicals (found in many make up, creams, shampoo, cleaning stuff, carpet cleaner)
• Dry cleaning (unless the place is organic)
• Tap water(contains minerals that could be harmful to the developing fetus. Most doctors will recommend drinking filtered water instead of tap – use eg Brita filter )
• Hair dye (saturates the skin. The chemicals related to the product of hair dye can cause defects in the unborn child)
• Reptiles (are linked to many miscarriages. Reptile as a pet isn’t safe to have around when trying to conceive a baby or for a woman who is already pregnant. Why? The reasons are quite clear but unknown to many. Reptiles contain the salmonella virus. This virus isn’t safe for women who are pregnant or children who are under the age of five. The virus is contracted by the transfer of feces and skin. The reptiles that should be concerned about are turtles, lizards, iguanas and snakes. These are the animals to watch out for)
• Hot Dogs: The link between hot dogs and pregnancy isn’t quite researched thoroughly as of now. But in some studies it has shown that the consumption of hot dogs while pregnant is linked to cancer. A visit with your doctor can put you at ease. It is better safe than sorry.
• Microwaves isn’t a very common danger to avoid. The radiation in a microwave is in small doses but it should be limited. Doctors says to avoid x-rays because of the exposure of radiation is dangerous to a developing fetus. The exposure to microwave radiation isn’t as dangerous as x-rays, but the usage of microwaves for a pregnant woman can be dangerous.
• Electric blankets and waterbeds: A water bed isn’t a fact most doctors tell patients. Most or all water beds contain heaters. A heater in a water bed produces mounts of electric fields. The electric fields are harmful to a developing fetus. Another product to avoid while pregnant is an electric blanket. The blanket contains the same electric fields as the water bed.
• Pesticides: The chemicals found in pesticides are dangerous. The use of pesticides should be limited to a pregnancy. The effects of the chemicals found in the pesticides range in a large variety. In our day and age it is hard to avoid the exposure to pesticides. Roach and insect traps, yard services, and various other products are used worldwide. If pesticides are needed to be used, try alternatives to pesticides. There are numerous natural remedies to treat the common invasion of insects.
• Bath products are luxury items used daily for hygiene and relaxation. What is unknown to the consumers, bath products contain a toxic chemical called methylisothiazoline. This chemical has a link to nerve damage. Some of the productscontaining this chemical are, Head and shoulders, Suave, Clairol and Pantene hair conditioner.
• Fish The bigger and older the fish, the more mercury it may contain. The Food and Drug administration (FDA) encourages pregnant women to avoid:
• Swordfish
• Shark
• King mackerel
• Tilefish
• Diary (I say avoid all, but if you insist then dont eat anything unpasteurized such as brie, feta, Camembert, blue cheese)
• Alcohol
• Smoke
• Drugs
• Cat litter (Both cat litter and undercooked meat present the risk of toxoplasmosis, which causes birth defects)