Customer Reviews

Protecting Your Baby-To-Be: Preventing Birth Defects in the First Trimester

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1 star:		(5)

 

 

Profet doesn't advocate foregoing all vegetables during pregnancy. Her thesis is that during the first trimester, when the embryo's organs are forming, women often have aversions to naturally occuring toxins found in spices, herbs, and bitter vegetables; this aversion, or "morning sickness", is a natural defense mechanism that may prevent women from ingesting too many natural toxins which can pose a threat to a first-trimester embryo. What this means is that you may not be able to stomach Brussels sprouts during the first trimester, but once you're safely in the second trimester you do need to resume eating the full spectrum of vegetables. An example of a naturally occuring toxin is capsaicin, which is found in hot peppers--this natural toxin is delicious and healthful to large organisms such as human adults, but it is a poison to insects and could potentially threaten a first-trimester embryo if consumed in large quantities. Certain spices, such as black pepper and nutmeg, can also be dangerous if consumed in large quantities (we're talking a handful here). Another example is less-than-fresh meats or dairy--first-trimester women have a natural aversion to these foods, which protects the embryo from bacteria. I found the book to be very interesting and compelling, and while Profet does NOT give pregnant women license to skip vegetables, she does encourage first-trimester women to listen to their bodies and favor low-toxin foods. Again, this book discusses the first trimester only.

This book examines the biological purpose of "morning" sickness, and links the natural toxins produced by many plants to this phenomenon. According to the author and her research (which is still quite new and incomplete), these toxins, while harmless to adults can affect the development of the embryo. As a result, diet in the 1st trimester should take this into consideration. I have some doubts about the wisdom of foregoing vegetables at a time when such crucial development is occurring, and I found her book offered warnings without enough practical advice as to alternatives (other than bottled vitamins). It can offer the nautious woman some comfort, however, in knowing that there may be a good reason for her suffering.

Ever since reading this book I've been afraid of eating vegetables and my nausea has gotten alot worse. At first it sounds like a reasonable hypothesis that pregnancy sickness is nature's way of preventing the mother from consuming toxins during the critical 1st trimester. But not once does she ask the obvious question to support her thesis: whether women who do not get pregnancy sickness are more likely to have babies with defects and vice versa. The sum of her "scientific" research involved asking friends and relatives whether they remember having pregnancy sickness and using the sample of one poor woman who read about her theory and called to say that she did not experience any pregnancy sickness and had a child with multiple defects. How irresponsible to use one woman's sad story in lieu of scientific research. Furthermore, after listing a handful of foods with known toxins she goes on to discourage eating pretty much anything with a smell and strong flavor. Even if the tiny embryo doesn't need the nutrients at this stage, as she claims, certainly the mother-to-be does. Profet fails to mention that when you don't eat and burn up fat, your body produces ketones--which is also a toxin for the fetus, perhaps even more dangerous than these theoretical toxins Profet warns of.

If you want to feel guilty about everything you eat and end up eating very little, and thereby increasing your sickness, then get this book. Otherwise, there are plenty of books out there with better science and more balanced advice on what to eat and what not to eat.

This well-researched and logical description of the probable causes of first trimester morning sickness is a must-read for expectant mothers. The author, with compelling logic and evidence, theorizes that morning sickness is the evolutionary defense of the expectant mother's body's against toxins (particularly naturally-occuring plant toxins and bacteria on slightly spoiled meats) which could damage the fetus during its most critical phase of organ formation, which occurs in the 1st three months. Despite the alarmist reaction of the previous Amazon reviewer who rebuked the author for not always prefering natural foods, Profet's focus is on showing mothers how to keep their bodies as free from toxins as possible during this period, which happens to include many naturally occurring plant and grain toxins. Suggestions for a healthy 1st trimester diet and how to cope with morning sickness are included. There are many different facets to morning sickness and the author explores them all. Don't be led astray by one reader's knee-jerk reaction.

This book has some really good information about pregnancy in the first trimester and I am very glad I read it, however the author repeats herself many times making the book a little longer than it should be. Also, I believe the author is a scientist and not a historian but for some reason she kept mentioning out hunter gatherer ancestors, it seemed to me, with no real evidence to support her ideas about them. Other than that, this is a really lovely written, helpful book for any mother to be.

"Some husbands of women who experience almost no pregnancy sickness brag about how well their wives handle pregnancy. But these men and their pregnant wives should worry, not brag."
I cannot recommend a book that suggests that any pregnant woman should worry about something that is beyond her control. Worrying is not going to help you and it is not going to help your baby!

She does go on to suggest that women who do not experience pregnancy sickness should mimic the diet of women who do. I cannot recommend a book that suggests a pregnant woman subside on saltines and filtered water when she doesn't have to, during the most nutritionally-critical stage of her life!

Furthermore, while every single other source presents morning sickness as a protective mechanism as THEORY, this author maintains that it is FACT. This book is alarmist. It's not worth the stress it will cause you.

We have passed this book around to almost 20 expectant mothers! If you know someone that is having or is prone to having morning sickness, this book will be a god-send. We were very skeptical at first, but then followed the diet and other suggestions... it was amazing. I wish every woman would follow this during the first trimester.

I thought that this was a very good book about the first trimester. She takes what is known about certain foods and vitamins and applies that information to the first trimester. She is very, very clear about what is supported by scientific research and what is not. It is a very logical, well thought out, and easy to read book. She has some very good things to say and to think about.

This is the worst book I have ever read regarding pregnancy subject. The author suggested against switching to organic foods and recommended eating bland processed grains--a recipe for health disaster such as hemorrhoid (page 150). We all know that conventional foods and vegetables contain a much higher level of pesticide residue and a lot of chemicals and a lot of scientific studies have proven so. If what she stated was valid, a lot bad things (i.e., defects) would have happened to those East Indian, Korean and Mexican mothers because they consumed a lot of spices such as chilies and other herbs.

Don't waste your money buying this bood. Check it out from your local library first.

I just checked out this book from the library, the worst book on this subject I have ever read. First, the author doesn't have any expertise in this department. Although she is biologist, she is definitely not qualified. For example, she suggested pregnant women to consume bland food and processed grains (page 150)--a recipe for disaster such as hemorrhoid. A lot studies have proven that convention foods contain a much higher of pesticide than organic food. Yet, she recommended against switching to organic food. She is a pro-GMO because she mentioned on page 148 that the first-trimester pregnant women should not be afraid of GMO food.

If you consider purchasing this book, make sure you check it out at the bookstore first.