"Don't eat dates honey so you don't lose your baby."
"Eating dates honey puts your fetus at risk."
These statements are part of the misconceptions that exist in Iraqi society, especially among pregnant women. Doctors and health professionals urge pregnant women to ignore these misconceptions and seek the advice of specialists to ensure the safety of their fetuses.
Huda Ahmed, a gynecologist and obstetrician, told KirkukNow, "To date, there is no evidence that eating berry syrup or date honey is harmful or leads to miscarriage. On the contrary, we advise pregnant women in their last months of pregnancy to eat dates because they are an important source of energy and contain iron."
She explained that other benefits of these two types of syrup include helping pregnant women during labor and facilitating the delivery process.
Fish and carrots are also among the foods that are rumored in society to pose a danger to the fetus and lead to miscarriage.
"When discussing any health-related topic, we must rely on scientific and medical studies. For example, there are some medications that women should not take a year before pregnancy, and vitamin A should not be taken six months before pregnancy. These are scientifically proven,” Ahmed says. “As for food, there is no specific type that should not be consumed during pregnancy."
Foods containing vitamin A should be avoided during the first three months of pregnancy because they can lead to birth defects. Examples include chicken liver, sheep liver, and carrots, as these foods contain large amounts of vitamin A. However, sea fish contain lower levels of mercury than fish that live in rivers.
As for gynecologist and obstetrician Sumaya Atta Al-Naqshbandi, she says that it is normal to drink coffee and tea during pregnancy, provided that it is not excessive.
"If consumed in excess, it may lead to miscarriage... In general, pregnant women can consume 200 mg of caffeine per day, which is equivalent to one cup of coffee. Consuming carbonated drinks is also harmful to the health of the fetus."
