International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

A cookbook aimed at pregnant women has been recalled because it includes recipes containing ingredients that are potentially harmful.

Following advice from the New South Wales Food Safety Authority, The Happy Baby Cookbook has been recalled by its publisher, TVNZ.co.nz reported.

Principal public health advisor for the authority Donald Campbell believes the recall is a reminder about what pregnant women should and should not eat.

"Because a woman's immune system is less robust than usual when pregnant, it makes her more at risk of getting diseases carried by food, and her illness may be worse than it would normally have been," he told the news provider.

Risky foods for pregnant women to eat include soft cheeses, ready-to-eat foods from delicatessens, raw fish and foods containing raw eggs.

Customers that have bought the book, which is published in Australia and is also available in New Zealand, can get a full refund.

FoodSafetyNews.com also recommends avoiding eating items such as refrigerated pate or meat spreads or drinking raw (unpasteurised) milk.