Trying to figure out what you can and cannot eat during pregnancy can be pretty overwhelming. However, your baby is counting on you to get it right. Remember, everything that passes through your body will be passed on to the baby during pregnancy. Certain foods and substances can cause birth defects and even miscarriage. Avoid the following foods during pregnancy, and remember, when in doubt, it's best to refrain until you can research to see if the food is healthy for pregnant women.

Raw and undercooked meats should be avoided altogether. This means no sushi or rare cuts of beef during pregnancy. These foods have a higher risk of exposing your baby to bacteria including salmonella. Deli meats should also be avoided since they can be contaminated with listeria, a bacteria that can cause miscarriage. Smoked seafood such as lox should also be avoided for this same reason.

Fish that are high in mercury should also be avoided. The most common example of this is canned tuna, but there are fish in your local seafood case that should be avoided as well including swordfish and shark. Additionally, fish from lakes, streams or fish farms should be avoided due to their exposure to pollutants.

Raw shellfish is absolutely to be avoided during pregnancy and some doctors recommend avoiding shellfish altogether. If you insist on eating any type of seafood while pregnant, it is best to eat something that was caught in the wild ocean and is fully cooked such as Atlantic salmon.

Now that you know what meats to avoid, it's time to focus on what animal-created products to avoid. Raw eggs are another thing to avoid during pregnancy. It is important to note that many products, such as mayo, salad dressings, and even ice cream might have been made with raw eggs.

Other foods that may contain listeria, the miscarriage-inducing bacteria, include soft cheeses. Most soft, spreadable cheeses are to be avoided during pregnancy. As a general rule of thumb, if a cheese has been pasteurized, it is okay to eat, so make sure that any cheese you consume has been clearly marked as having been pasteurized.

And while it should go without being said, pregnant women should also avoid all drugs including alcohol and caffeine as these can and will cause birth defects.

You may have noticed a theme in this article which is that the only foods pregnant women need to avoid all have some connection to animals. This of course should be taken to mean that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables that have been properly washed is ideal for any pregnant woman.