Pregnancy also changes your immune system

During pregnancy, your body goes through numerous adaptations to allow your baby to grow and develop safely. One of these changes happens in your immune system, which adapts to protect both you and your baby at the same time.

These changes can make you more susceptible to some infections or cause certain infections to have a different impact during pregnancy. That is why some everyday precautions become even more important at this stage.

Wash your hands frequently, especially before meals and after contact with public places, wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly before consuming them, and avoid raw or unpasteurised foods, such as certain meats, fish, eggs or cheeses. Whenever possible, avoid close contact with people who are unwell. If you have a cat at home, wear gloves to clean the litter tray or ask someone else to do it.

These precautions are not meant to limit your life, but rather to reduce the risk of infections that can be avoided. Small everyday steps help protect your health and your baby's.

Most pregnancies progress without any complications related to infections. These precautions are part of prevention and are a simple way to reduce the risks even further.