Different advice country to country

[2ducks2ducklings]

I'm just interested to see what guidelines people are given regarding what foods/drink they can or can't have, depending on what country they're from. In the U.K. we're told that all meat must be cooked thoroughly so that no pink can be seen. Is this the same advice given on places like France? And what about fish? Surely some countries use fish such as marlin and swordfish as an important part of their main diet, what are they told?
I'm just generally interested and am not saying one country is right and another is wrong!

In the European country where I live neither alcohol or smoking are as drastically frowned upon. Diet wise… They recommend limiting olive oil (a big part of the diet) and until recently pregnant women weren’t allowed cured ham (another big part of the diet!) unless it had been frozen first. Guidelines have changed now but they don’t seem to have informed many of the medical staff… Some herbal teas which are commonly drunk are disencouraged in UK and not bothered here. Can’t think of anymore off the top of my head but am sure there are lots! The main difference I notice (having had one pregnancy in each country) is that here pregnant women are just kindly regarded by everyone and bump is public property with strangers happily asking about how things are, baby’s position, names etc. in every shop, walking down the street or waiting for the bus and in my own experience I feel more respected here as knowing my own body and my wishes x

Back in 2003/04 in Latvia I was not told to avoid anything at all. Drinking and smoking is socially very unaccepted and you won't see many pregnant women smoking in public as they will be openly judged and some people will start reading anti smoking lectures etc.

We do not eat cured meats very much and unpasteurised cheeses are not very common in our diet.

The only restriction regards food for pregnant and non-pregnant people is unpasteurised goats milk because of the disease called tick borne encephalitis which can be passed via milk if the goat has been bitten ( which is impossible to tell ).

Doesn't apply to cows milk as they do not tend to pass it via milk and ppl in the country side will still drink unpasteurised cows milk with no worries at all.

My husband's french family are shocked that I haven't been tested for toxoplasmosis (they test pregnant women at least monthly there if not already immune). The pregnant patients there also see an obstetrician monthly for routine vaginal/speculum examinations! I prefer the UK approach.

Oh yeah two toxoplasmosis tests here too once at 10w and one around 24 w. Three scans, 12w, 20w and 32w as standard. Glucose test for everyone as a screening for GD x

Cured meats and soft cheeses, avoid gardening and thoroughly wash all veg. I am not immune to toxoplasmosis so have that blood test every month - 40 days. GD test for everyone at 24 weeks. Smoking is probably frowned upon but I have seen a few pregnant woman having a few glasses of wine at lunch or dinner. You get 3 standard scans here 12, 20 and 32 weeks and I always have a quick scan every time I see my doctor. I'm in Italy where pregnancy seems quite medicalised.