I love to eat shellfish but I'm pregnant and have been told I can't eat any for my entire pregnancy. Is there any truth in that, or is it just a myth?

It's not just shellfish you need to avoid while pregnant. You also need to steer clear of deli meats (meat that's cooked and chilled), unpasteurized milks and cheeses, deli salads, pate and raw or chilled seafood. these foods run a high risk of being contaminated with the bacteria listeria, which causes listeriosis.

This can be harmful to a pregnant women and her unborn baby, leading to premature delivery, miscarriage and even foetal death.

Thaigirl

When eating shellfish, you exposed to many illnesses that can be transmitted by shellfish, including hepatitis A. Some food poisoning from mollusks is actually a result of the algae eaten by the mollusks.

In most cases cooking the shellfish does not eliminate this risk, so you really need to be careful.