Can I eat this? The real rules
What women search: can I eat sushi while pregnant
· can I eat shrimp
· is coffee safe
The rules exist for two reasons: infections that can harm a pregnancy (especially listeria) and mercury. Everything on this list traces back to one of them.
- Sushi: skip raw fish. Cooked rolls (shrimp tempura, eel, California rolls with cooked crab) are fine.
- Shrimp and most seafood: yes, cooked. Aim for 2–3 servings a week of low-mercury fish like salmon, sardines, trout and shrimp. Avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, marlin, orange roughy and bigeye tuna.
- Coffee: yes, up to about 200 mg of caffeine a day — roughly one 12-oz coffee.
- Deli meat and hot dogs: only heated until steaming.
- Soft cheese: fine if pasteurized; avoid unpasteurized dairy and juice.
- Eggs and meat: cooked through. Eggs are also one of the best sources of choline, a nutrient important for the baby's brain. More on choline.
- Alcohol: no amount is known to be safe in pregnancy.
Can I take this medication?
Many common medications are fine in pregnancy, and some conditions are riskier untreated than treated. Never assume, and never panic: ask your clinician or pharmacist before starting or stopping anything. MotherToBaby (mothertobaby.org) offers free, expert answers about medications in pregnancy and breastfeeding. For supplements and herbs, see Can I take this while pregnant?
Can I do this?
- Exercise: yes — about 150 minutes a week of moderate activity is recommended for most pregnancies. Avoid contact sports and high fall-risk activities.
- Flying: generally safe for healthy pregnancies until about 36 weeks. Walk and stretch on long flights. Check before traveling if your pregnancy is high-risk.
- Sleep position: after about 20 weeks, side-sleeping is recommended. Waking up on your back isn't an emergency — just roll over.
Is this cramping or bleeding a miscarriage?
What women search: pregnancy cramps vs miscarriage cramps
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Mild cramping is common in early pregnancy as the uterus grows. Light spotting is also common in the first trimester — many women who have it go on to have healthy pregnancies.
Call your clinician the same day for any bleeding in pregnancy. Go to the emergency department for heavy bleeding (soaking a pad an hour), severe or one-sided abdominal pain, shoulder pain, dizziness or fainting — these can signal an ectopic pregnancy.
Often an ultrasound and sometimes blood tests. Ask what they're checking for, and when you'll get results — so you're not left alone in the wait.
When does it start, and when does it stop?
What women search: when does pregnancy nausea go away
· first trimester is hell
Rising pregnancy hormones cause nausea, fatigue and digestive changes. Nausea usually starts around 6 weeks and improves for most women by 12 to 16 weeks — but not for everyone.
If you're 15 weeks along and still exhausted and sick while everyone promises a second-trimester glow, you're not broken. Call if you can't keep fluids down for a day, you're losing weight, you feel dizzy when you stand, or you vomit blood — severe nausea (hyperemesis gravidarum) needs treatment, not endurance.
Ask about treatment. Ginger and vitamin B6 are common first steps, and there are safe prescription options when those aren't enough.
Is the baby moving enough?
What women search: baby movement at 20 weeks
· why decreased baby movement
First movements usually feel like flutters between about 16 and 25 weeks — earlier in a second pregnancy, later with an anterior placenta. By the third trimester, babies develop their own pattern.
Babies do not move less near the end of pregnancy. If movements slow down or change from your baby's usual pattern, call the same day — don't wait until tomorrow, and don't rely on a home Doppler.
Usually a quick monitoring check. Calling is never "overreacting."
Is this labor?
Signs include contractions that get stronger, longer and closer together, fluid leaking from the vagina, or bloody mucus. Call your care team if your water breaks, contractions become regular, or you have bleeding — and right away for any of these before 37 weeks. If you're told to stay home but feel something is wrong, it's reasonable to say: "I'd like to be seen."
What each visit is for
Short visits can feel pointless — but each one checks something specific. Knowing what helps you ask better questions.
First trimester
Confirming dates, first labs, and optional genetic screening (including NIPT). Every visit checks blood pressure — the earliest sign of several complications.
Second trimester
The detailed anatomy ultrasound (about 18–22 weeks), glucose screening (24–28 weeks), and growth checks.
Third trimester
Tdap and, in season, RSV vaccines; Group B strep testing (36–37 weeks); baby's position; and planning for birth.
When everyone has an opinion
Unsolicited comments about your bump, your timing and your birth plans are one of the biggest frustrations pregnant women describe. A few lines you can borrow:
Work and pregnancy
In the US, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy — such as breaks, schedule changes for appointments, or seating. Your clinician can provide a note describing what you need. If your pregnancy is high-risk and appointments are frequent, ask your care team early how to plan around the schedule.
Call right away
- Vaginal bleeding or leaking fluid
- Baby moving less than usual
- Severe headache, vision changes, or sudden swelling of the face or hands
- Chest pain, trouble breathing, or a racing heart
- Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
- Severe abdominal pain, or regular contractions before 37 weeks
- Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
If symptoms are severe, call 911. This page is general education, not personal medical advice.