With the many multi-ethnic foods readily available in North America, you might not realize that an ethnic favorite might be off limits during pregnancy. While ethnic dish avoidance is usually passed on from mother to daughter, chances are your mother probably didn't indulge in sushi if she happened to grow up surrounded by meals of a different ethnicity.

You should avoid any raw meat or fish. This not only includes sushi, but also undercooked meat or poultry. If you must have sushi, stick with the vegetarian or with well cooked meat. And for the duration of your pregnancy, you should choose your beef well done, rather than medium rare.

Any foods or sauces which contain raw egg. Some common foods with raw eggs include Caesar salad dressing, Hollan daise sauce, some types of mayonnaise, unpasteurized eggnog, and homemade ice cream. This also means you should avoid licking the spoon from the cake mix or sampling the cookie dough while making cookies.

Soft cheese selections, including blue cheese, feta, Brie, Camembert, and Latin-American soft white cheeses. This may mean skipping your usual greek salad or other dishes that contain feta.

Certain fish which contain accumulated levels of mercury in their fatty tissues. Such fish include shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. Consuming large amounts of mercury can cause suffer brain damage to the baby, resulting in developmental delays reaching important milestones.

Don't go overboard on the liver. Liver contains high amounts of Vitamin A. While you need Vitamin A for your pregnancy, high levels of it may cause birth defects.

By following these food avoidance guidelines during pregnancy, you will ensure your health and the safety of your unborn baby.