Nutrition during pregnancy Latvia eng

Polychlorinated  biphenyls  and  dioxins.  These  are  lipophilic  substances  that  accumulate  in  fats.  

The   main   dietary   sources   are   oily   fish   (salmon,   trout,   carp,   herring)   and   fish   liver.   Expectant  

mothers  should  not,  however,  discontinue  eating  fish;  it  is  recommended  that  oily  fish  be  eaten  

at  least  once  a  week.  

Lead.  If  exposure  is  high,  lead  may  cross  the  placental  barrier  and  enter  the  fetus.  Intake  of  lead  

is  associated  with  increased  risks  for  hypertension  and  spontaneous  abortion  in  the  mother  and  

low  birth  weight  and  impaired  neural  development  in  the  infant.  Lead  can  be  absorbed  from  

low-­‐quality  enamel  vessels,  lead-­‐containing  glass  crockery  or  obsolete  Teflon-­‐coated  cookware.  

Vitamin   A.  Pregnant  women  should  avoid  liver  or  liver  products  and  formulations  containing  

retinol,   including   fish   oil.   Products   of   plant   origin   that   contain   carotenes   (pro-­‐vitamins   of  

vitamin  A)  are  red  and  orange  vegetables  and  fruit;  they  are  not  teratogenic  to  the  fetus  and  

are  safe  for  consumption  during  pregnancy.  

Mercury.  Mercury  accumulates  in  large  ocean  fish,  such  as  shark,  marlin,  tuna,  swordfish  and  

king  mackerel.  As  the  Baltic  Sea  is  exceedingly  polluted,  it  is  not  advisable  to  consume  fish  from  

the   Sea   during   pregnancy.   Furthermore,   mercury   accumulates   in   pike   and   other   large  

freshwater  fish  (perch,  pike  perch  and  freshwater  cod);  however,  only  pike  should  be  avoided,  

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and  such  fish  should  not  be  eaten  more  often  than  once  a  week.  No  more  than  140  g  of  tuna  

should  be  eaten  per  week.