Pregnancy Do's and Don'ts

For when you need the facts—not fear—about what food, drinks, activities, and procedures you should avoid during each month of your pregnancy.

Over the years, Dr. Elisabeth Aron has soothed the worries of many soon-to-be moms who have come to her with questions such as:

• Can I exercise during my first trimester?
• Is canned tuna safe to eat throughout my pregnancy?
• Do self-tanners contain chemicals I should be worried about?
• I have to fly for work during my second trimester. Is this safe?
• Is cookie-dough ice cream safe to eat?
• Can I wear an underwire bra during my pregnancy?
• I’m six months pregnant. Is it alright for me to have a glycolic peel facial?
• Are peanuts safe to eat or will my baby develop a peanut allergy if I eat too many?
• There is a lot of chlorine in my health club’s pool. Is that a good or bad thing?

Pregnancy Do’s and Don’ts includes hundreds of entries on possible concerns—from apple cider to zinc and everything in between. In each entry, Dr. Aron identifies the item, the possible cause for concern, and explains the bottom line—whether it is something a woman should avoid completely, something to take a better-safe-than-sorry approach toward, or something that is perfectly fine.