Hawker dishes to absolutely avoid when you are pregnant

SINGAPORE - Can you still eat fried oyster omelette and rojak when you're pregnant?

Or how about roti prata and your morning kopi? The answer is no.

Nutrition experts interviewed by Young Parents magazine have ladled out advice on hawker delights that are safe to consume for pregnant women.

If you do not watch your diet when you are pregnant, you may not receive the optimal levels of nutrients needed for the baby's healthy growth. In the worst-case scenario, you may even suffer a miscarriage.

In 2009, two people died and a woman suffered a miscarriage after eating contaminated rojak from a popular Geylang Serai stall.

KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) dietician Jenette Yee says that the dish is prepared using mainly uncooked food - a perfect breeding ground for bacteria such as listeria. 

In pregnant women, listeria infection can result in miscarriages, premature or still birth.

Don't want to chance it? Flick through the gallery on more tips on which hawker food you should give a wide berth to, and which are better options if you are eating out:

Get a copy of the February 2014 issue of Young Parents for expert advice and local tips to make you a better mum or dad. Young Parents, published by SPH Magazines, is available at all newsstands now.

Check out more stories at Young Parents online, www.youngparents.com.sg .