Raw milk is dangerous to drink during pregnancy

Drinking milk is not only a complement to meet the energy and nutritional needs of pregnant women, but also has an important role in providing essential nutrients needed by the fetus. But, what about raw milk, is it safe for pregnant women?

What is raw milk?

Raw milk or raw milk is milk from cows, goats, sheep, or other dairy animals that has not been processed or pasteurized. Pasteurization is a heating process that ranges from a temperature of 70-75 degrees Celsius for a few seconds to kill bad bacteria that can cause disease in milk.

Most people consider raw milk directly consumed from dairy animals to retain the essential nutrients lost in the pasteurization process. There are also those who say that raw milk is easier to digest, and helps build immunity naturally.

Even so, experts have warned that raw milk has the potential to contain bacteria. Raw milk can carry harmful bacteria and other germs that can make you more prone to diarrhea, stomach cramps and even vomiting. In rare cases, consumption of raw milk can also irritate the kidneys, causing paralysis and even death.

The food control agency in the United States (FSA or The Food Standards Agency) has warned of the dangers of consuming unprocessed milk. In addition, a study has also claimed that raw milk makes people 100 times more likely to get sick than those who consume pasteurized milk.

Can pregnant women drink raw milk?

Obviously, the answer is not. It is not safe for pregnant women to drink raw, unprocessed or unpasteurized milk. Therefore, pregnant women are advised not to consume this type of milk and also food products made from unpasteurized milk.

Not only pregnant women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture, babies and children are also strongly discouraged from consuming raw, unpasteurized milk because of the high risk. have a serious illness that can be life-threatening.

What are the risks if pregnant women drink raw milk?

The American Academy of Pediatrics also said that pregnant women who drink raw milk will have a higher risk of developing toxoplasmosis infection. Toxoplasmosis is a human infection caused by parasitesToxoplasma gondii. If these parasites attack pregnant women, the mother will be more susceptible to miscarriage, stillbirth, or congenital toxoplasmosis which causes brain damage, hearing loss, and vision problems in the baby during or several months or years after birth.

In addition, raw, unpasteurized milk can also carry disease-causing microbes. For example, listeria monocytogenes causes a bacterial infection called Listeriosis. Although listeriosis is relatively rare, the infection can be very deadly for pregnant women. Because this infection can cause stillbirths or miscarriage and premature birth. Meanwhile, two-thirds of babies infected with listeriosis from their mothers are very likely to experience sepsis, pneumonia and meningitis.