Huge Ice Cream Recall Could Affect Pregnant Women

Ice cream is probably one of the first foods most people associate with pregnancy, thanks to the whole "pickles and ice cream" cliché. And now that it's summer, expecting moms everywhere have an excuse to indulge in their favorite frozen treats. But if you're a pregnant woman with a craving for something sweet and cool, you might want to think twice before your next trip to the freezer.

The company Totally Cool Inc. recently recalled over 60 ice cream products from 13 brands because they could potentially be contaminated with listeria, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced this week — and listeria can be incredibly dangerous when you're pregnant.

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So many super popular brands are included in this recall — though luckily there are plenty of alternatives available, as commenters noted in their reactions to this post from Carenatal | Prenatal Education .

"It's not Tillamook so I'm safe," wrote Alexis Grimm.

"Thank god it's not the Bluebell ice cream I'm currently eating right this second," wrote bitacorn.

"I only want Häagen-Dazs," wrote sohlemusic.

"In @benandjerrys we trust," wrote Cwilso.

Related: 5-Year-Old Hooks Toddler Sister Up With Ice Cream and Her Face Says It All

As USA Today reported, thankfully no illnesses have been reported yet. You can read the full list of recalled ice cream products here .

Why Is Listeria So Risky for Pregnant Women?

If you've ever wondered why pregnant women are supposed to stay away from foods like deli meat and unpasteurized cheese, the answer is listeria (or listeriosis). According to The Bump, " listeriosis is a foodborne illness that doesn’t pose much risk for mom but can be harmful for baby."

"Listeriosis is an infection caused by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes and generally presents as 'food poisoning' or a 'stomach bug' in pregnancy (with symptoms like nausea, vomiting or diarrhea).

Listeriosis can make people feel sick, but rarely causes severe health problems. What’s scary for moms-to-be, however, is that having it during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and preterm birth. Babies of moms who had listeriosis during pregnancy are also at risk for listeria infection."

The good news is that even though pregnant women are at a higher risk of contracting listeriosis, the odds of are still very low.

"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are approximately 1,600 cases of listeriosis in the United States each year. But only about one in seven cases — or about 200 cases per year — occur in pregnant women, out of nearly 4 million pregnancies every year."

Still, you can never be too careful! (And remember, there's always Ben & Jerry's.)

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