You never may have gotten sick from the mishandling of food in the past, but when you are pregnant, you and your unborn child are more susceptible to food poisoning. When you're pregnant, any illness you contract affects your unborn child and places both of you at greater risk of serious illness. Your unborn child is especially vulnerable because it doesn't have a developed immune system and can't fight bacteria. This is also true for newborns and infants.

The good news is that food poisoning can be prevented if you follow proper home food safety practices. Pregnant women can help protect themselves and their unborn children by following these simple food safety guidelines from the American Dietetic Association and the ConAgra Foods Foundation:

• Wash hands often. Proper hand washing may eliminate nearly half of all cases of food-borne illness and significantly reduce the spread of the common cold and flu. Wash hands before, during and after meal preparation with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds.
• Don't forget to keep surfaces clean. Keep shelves, counter tops, tables, refrigerators and freezers sanitary.
• Prevent cross-contamination by keeping raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods.
• Use two cutting boards: one strictly for raw meat, poultry and seafood, the other for ready-to-eat foods like breads and vegetables. Wash cutting boards thoroughly in hot, soapy water after each use or place in dishwasher. Use a bleach solution (i.e. 1 tablespoon of bleach in 1 quart of water) or other sanitizing solution, and rinse with clean water. Discard old cutting boards that have cracks, crevices and excessive knife scars.
• Cook to proper temperatures. Harmful bacteria are destroyed when food is cooked to proper temperatures. Buy a meat thermometer and use it. This is the only reliable way to ensure safety and determine the doneness of cooked foods. Always use a meat thermometer to check the doneness of meat, poultry, seafood and eggs.
• Reheat leftovers to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit. All deli-style meats and poultry products (hot dogs, luncheon meats or cold cuts, and fermented and dry sausage) should be reheated until steaming hot.
• Boil a meat marinade for several minutes if you plan to reuse it.

If you think you have contracted a food-borne illness, contact your health care provider. To learn more about preventing food poisoning, visit www.homefoodsafety.org.