There was an informative article today written by Grace Derocha on healthy eating for pregnant women. It included some information on avoiding listeria:

Listeria — and any foodborne illness for that matter — is very dangerous for you and the baby when pregnant. The immune system of is different for pregnant women than it is for non-pregnant women. Listeria is known to have the ability to cross the placenta to the baby and can cause infection or blood poisoning, which could lead to miscarriage.

Here are some things to think about to avoid listeria and keep the baby safe.

• Pâté — Meat spreads or refrigerated pâtés should be avoided. Canned pates or shelf-safe pates would be OK for pregnant women to consume.
• Lunch or deli meats and any processed meats (such as hot dogs) are known to contain listeria. If you want to eat these foods, they must be cooked throroughly until steaming hot.
• Smoked seafoods, such as lox, Nova style, kippered or jerky, are known to carry listeria as well. If these smoked seafoods are cooked into a meal, like a casserole or soup, they are safe to eat.