Can pregnant women eat watermelon? Precautions for pregnant women to eat watermelon

Watermelon is a fruit that many people love very much. So who can't eat watermelon? Especially for pregnant women, when can't they eat watermelon? If they eat it, will it affect the fetus? This is also a question that many people are very concerned about. So today we will answer it in detail for everyone:

Will eating melon during pregnancy affect the fetus?

At the obstetrics clinic of the Municipal Women and Children's Health Care Center, several pregnant mothers were consulting Ding Sujuan, deputy chief physician of the obstetrics and gynecology department, about eating watermelon.

A pregnant woman surnamed Zhu said that a woman in her neighbor's family didn't want to eat when she was pregnant last year, and ate watermelon every day. Later, she developed gestational diabetes, which was said to be related to eating too much watermelon. "Some people say that eating watermelon during pregnancy is not good for the fetus, and in severe cases it may cause premature birth. Is that true?" The pregnant woman's question immediately attracted the attention of two other pregnant women. One of them said, "Isn't it said that eating watermelon is good for childbirth? There are different opinions. Which one should I listen to?"

Doctor Ding Sujuan said that both statements make sense, and pregnant women can eat watermelon from time to time, but for the health of the future baby, some precautions must be followed.

Pregnant women should eat melon in moderation

Doctor Ding Sujuan said that although watermelon has many advantages, not everyone can eat it, let alone eat it without limit. A few days ago, a pregnant woman who was more than 7 months pregnant was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and the reason was related to her eating too much watermelon recently.

If you eat too much watermelon, you will consume too much sugar. Due to physiological changes in the endocrine system of pregnant women, the body's insulin is relatively insufficient, and the stabilizing effect on blood sugar decreases, resulting in a high concentration of sugar in the blood, which can cause gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes is an important cause of miscarriage and premature birth in pregnant women. Therefore, pregnant women should not eat too much watermelon. Some pregnant women eat fruits without restraint, and some pregnant women consume too much high-sugar foods, which are all causes of gestational diabetes.

When is the best time to eat watermelon?

Don't eat watermelon before or after meals. This is because the large amount of water in watermelon will dilute the gastric juice. Eating it before or after meals will affect the digestion and absorption of food. In addition, eating a large amount of watermelon before meals will occupy the volume of the stomach, which will greatly reduce the intake of various nutrients during the meal.

Pregnant women should not eat "ice watermelon"

To avoid gastrointestinal diseases, you should choose fresh and ripe watermelons when eating watermelons, especially those that have been refrigerated. If the temperature of "iced watermelons" is too low, pregnant women may experience uterine contractions after eating them, which may cause premature birth or even endanger the life of the fetus. Therefore, you must not take it lightly.

Which pregnant women should eat less watermelon?

Doctor Ding specifically warned that pregnant women with colds, kidney disease, and especially diabetes should eat less watermelon because it will aggravate their condition.