6 things to avoid during pregnancy

During pregnancy, there are some habits you absolutely must avoid to protect your health and your baby's

• Using perfume: Research shows that mums-to-be who use perfume that isn't safe may cause long-term harm to the baby's brain development. This is because phthalates in perfume, once they enter the bloodstream, can disrupt hormones in the baby's body.
• Smoking: Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to miscarry than non-smokers. Their babies are at risk of poor weight gain, premature birth and birth defects. If you are exposed to tobacco smoke during pregnancy, including breathing in other people's smoke (passive smoking), it can affect the development of a baby girl's ovaries.
• Sitting or standing for too long: According to experts, this seemingly harmless habit can leave you with aches all over, back pain, swollen legs, weight gain... Sitting a lot can also cause constipation and make your body feel heavier, which can make labour harder later on and seriously affect your overall health.
• Drinking coffee: Caffeine is a stimulant and a diuretic. A few cups of coffee will raise your blood pressure and heart rate and make you go to the toilet more often. In addition, the baby's metabolism is still developing in the womb. So when caffeine crosses the placenta, it increases the risk of miscarriage or of having a low-birth-weight baby. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, your total caffeine intake should be under 200 milligrams a day.
• Hot baths and hot tubs: Hot baths are often known as an effective way to ease the discomforts of pregnancy. However, experts advise mums-to-be to avoid soaking in hot tubs and using saunas. According to the American Pregnancy Association, hot tubs can cause hyperthermia, an abnormally high body temperature, which can lead to birth defects in the baby.
• Foods high in mercury: Mercury harms the baby's sight and hearing. So limit fish high in mercury during pregnancy, such as tuna, king mackerel and swordfish. Above all, never eat raw fish.

Reference: Hồng Ngọc Hospital