Pregnant​ Woman Dies After Eating​ Pickled​ Cockles

Becoming pregnant is an exciting period in your life. You now have a living human being growing inside of you. But that also brings its own pantangs - like what to eat and not to eat. It may not be the leading cause of death during pregnancy, but eating the wrong things while you are pregnant can rarely be fatal - as one pregnant woman in Thailand found out too late.

The very real risk of eating contaminated seafood while pregnant

Recently, a Thai woman who was seven months pregnant died after eating seemingly undercooked cockles. She rented a room on her own. Her neighbour from the apartment stated that the mum had bought these cockles for a meal.

However, after finishing the meal, expecting mum began experiencing abdominal pain and severe diarrhoea. Her symptoms were so bad that the mum couldn't work. Instead, on Monday, 1 October she went to the doctor and applied for sick leave.  

However, a few days later, neighbours didn't see her leave her room. It was only when a neighbour's child looked through the window that they discovered she did not make it. The mum passed away. her body was found on the 3rd of October, Wednesday. Police and authorities found her uninjured, clothed in a white dress in her single room, without any signs of a struggle.

Local media haven't released the cause of death, but it's been suspected that the mum died due to severe diarrhoea from food poisoning.

Cockles are a popular food in Thailand and can be eaten cooked rare, medium or well done, depending on how long it's boiled. It's a popular side dish in countryside Thailand and is usually eaten with home-made sauce or part of salads.

Teerapong Chareewit, an Associate Professor from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology in Chulalongkorn University cautioned all public -- not just pregnant women -- to be extra careful when eating cockles.

"If pregnant women die [sic] due to eating pickled mussels, then it isn't just pregnant women who should avoid eating mussels. Everyone else should be cautious about eating pickled mussels and whether it is sourced hygienically or not. Severe diarrhoea is dangerous and can be fatal," says Chareewit.

For pregnant women, food hygiene is of the utmost importance 

What happened to the Thai mum is a grim reminder to all pregnant mothers to avoid eating raw food including pickled raw food and raw fish.

Remember, mums, even uncooked food that appear clean might not actually be clean, especially if commercially produced. You wouldn't know how well the produce has been washed prior to further processing. The same applies to the utensils used for the food. And what about those who handle and prepare the food? How can you be sure that they follow optimum hygiene practices? 

The risks of eating raw food

We reiterate: pregnant mums should without a doubt avoid eating raw foods. That's because potentially unhygienic sources of raw food can lead to diarrhoea - which we can't gauge the severity of. Furthermore, raw foods present other risks, too: 

• Raw fish and particularly shellfish harbour tons of baddies that can lead to infections. While some pathogens only leave the mum dehydrate and weak, others can travel and infect your unborn child, with severe health issues - or even death.

  • One bacteria that pregnant women are vulnerable to is Listeria. It's normally found in soil, dirty water or plants, but Listeria can be transferred to raw fish while it's processed (even smoking and drying). Listeria is capable of travelling to the unborn baby via the placenta - and the mum can appear perfectly fine. Listeria infections in an unborn child can result in premature birth, a miscarriage, stillbirth and severe health issues.

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• Raw and undercooked meat also contains a lot of pathogens on their surface and sometimes within their fibres. Eating uncooked meat can risk infections from pathogens which can cross the placenta and into your unborn baby. There can be serious consequences of that, such as stillbirth or negative neurological effects, like mental retardation.

• Eggs that haven't been cooked may contain Salmonella, a bacteria responsible for vomiting, diarrhoea and fever. Rarely, Salmonella can also lead to cramps in the uterus, which can progress into premature birth or stillbirth.

Food tips for expecting mums

Plant and animal food

• Raw foods should be excluded from your diet. That includes:
  • food products made from raw eggs, like mayonnaise, hollandaise sauce, ice cream, poached eggs, scrambled eggs and cake icings. If you're shopping in the supermarket, check the ingredient labels to be sure that they're using pasteurised eggs.
  • any form of meat, like poultry, beef, fish and shellfish, including sushi. Ensure that all raw meats are fully cooked through and clean enough to eat.
• Steer clear of:
  • raw sprouts, unless they are fully cooked through. The same goes for cut or minced meat (poultry, pork, beef) like burger patties, sausages and deli meats.
  • unpasteurised food products, like milk, cheese, egg or juice. These foods can have bacteria that can prove deadly to your unborn child. Do eat only eggs that have been fully cooked through.
  • Junk food, cheese that is matured via mold, pates, and smoked salmon.
• Fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly cleaned to remove soil and dirt particles. To be safe, stick to vegetables prepped at home. 
• Stick to eating offal rich in Vitamin A, like liver, once every seven days, at maximum.
• Avoid large fish meat like shark, swordfish, mackerel and tuna, as they can contain high amounts of mercury. Fatty fish and small fish are good to eat but limit to eating them twice a week.

Caffeine and alcohol

• Caffeine can travel into the placenta and baby - but they can't digest it properly, which can lead to problems later on. Expecting mums shouldn't have too much caffeine and restrict it no more than 200 mg each day. which is roughly two cups of coffee.
• Dr. Ekachai Kovavisrak, MD, Ph.D., an Associate Professor of the Obstetrics & Gynecology Department in Rajavithi Hospital assures expectant mums to be cautious about how clean their food actually is. One thing he stresses out, though, mums-to-be, is that you should completely steer clear from alcohol. 

The most important to point to note is to be cautious how clean something is when you're eating it and maintaining a healthy diet. Consider eating food as they naturally come, fully cooked through, and not relying on supplements. Be careful with adding too much sugar and salt, and, if you're worried about food outdoors, consider cooking more at home. Do ensure that you drink clean water and maintain good kitchen hygiene by not mixing cooked and raw food together and cleaning kitchen tools.

If you have any concerns about your diet while pregnant, please consult your obstetrician or gynecologist for further advice.

How can pregnancy-related deaths be prevented?

There are a few ways you can ensure that your pregnancy will receive optimal outcomes and avoid the leading cause of death during pregnancy:

• practise healthy lifestyle habits, including:
  • eating a diet with healthy food and continuing a healthy weight
  • exercising
  • avoiding drugs or other toxic substances
  • preventing yourself from getting injured
• resolving any health issues prior to pregnancy
• consulting with a medical professional in certain periods of time whether you should become pregnant or not. Talking to a doctor is crucial in ensuring that you'll obtain quality medical advice and care for your pregnancy. 

Ensuring that you have the best pregnancy results should happen well before you're pregnant and lead into prenatal care. Consulting with your doctor regularly will also help to understand any additional issues that could come up and ways to manage these the. Both the pregnant woman and medical professionals alike are key to stop and manage serious pregnancy-associated issues.

This article about the leading cause of death during pregnancy and food tips was translated by Kevin Wijaya Oey and republished with the permission of theAsianparent Thailand.