Early on in my pregnancy my husband freaked out because I was eating Doritos and OH MY GOSH they have MSG (just like every other freaking food out there)... He said he read somewhere that MSG was bad during pregnancy. Has anyone else heard anything about this?

Well I was told specifically not to eat chinese food or Kentucky Fried Chicken because of it.

I have been told to avoid it as well and it is in a lot of stuff! Here is an article I found on it.
The effect of MSG on the developing fetus has been the subject of many studies. Some research with mice shows that high doses may cross the placental barrier and cause damage in brain development (Intern J Neurosci. 23:117-126,1984. Acta Physiologica Sinica. 46:44-51,1994). However, this study has not been replicated in humans.

Because of the lack of conclusive evidence of any toxic effects, MSG has been classified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe for consumption). It is on the list with other GRAS substances such as sugar, salt and baking soda.

MSG stands for Monosodium Glutamate. It is used as a food additive for flavor enhancement. It is literally a sodium salt of glutamic acid, an amino acid. It works by intensifying and enhancing flavor but it does not contribute a flavor of its own. MSG is not needed in foods for safety or nutritional reasons, and because it is unnecessary, it makes sense to avoid it, if at all possible. MSG is an additive that should be avoided in pregnancy, not only because it is of no use, but because it is high in sodium -- although it is lower in sodium than table salt. For this reason, it may contribute to water retention. If you are worried about how MSG might affect you or your developing baby, become aware of what foods contain it and limit your intake of them. Be a careful reader of ingredient labels and ask your server at a restaurant if MSG is used in preparing their recipes.

A small portion of the population is actually sensitive to MSG and suffer such symptoms as headaches, dizziness, sleep disturbances, nausea and vomiting. If you are among that group, you certainly want to make extra efforts to avoid this food additive.

Although you will want to avoid MSG because of its high level of sodium, please be aware that some salt is necessary in your diet. Of the expanding tissue in a pregnant woman's body, 60 percent is water; therefore, sodium is needed to regulate the movement of that water into and out of the cells.

Unless your doctor has told you that you need to restrict your salt intake due to high blood pressure or other reasons, continue to allow some salt in your diet.
MSG: Is it safe during pregnancy?

MSg can be harmfull and moreoevr try not to eat too much of oily or spicy food because they can be harmfull in times.

We have to assume everything we eat is bad. Food lables lie so much on their products. We really don't know what we're eating. I've been told if the food doesn't contain a certain percentage of a chemical, they don't have to post it on the lable even if that chemical is in the product.

I'm sorry but this is ridiculous. So what CAN we eat? Lettuce and water or is lettuce bad for us too?

Here's my opinion on foods.....if something is VERY bad for pregnancy, my dr would have told me. I received a list of foods that I should avoid during this pregnancy (certain soft cheeses, tuna, shark, etc) AND I asked my dr if there were any specific foods or things I should avoid and she said to avoid the stuff on the list.

Some food may be harmful to the baby even if eat a small portion of it, but i don't think that msg is to be included in this group. So you shouldn't be too worried about it. Just keep in mind that msg is not of any benefit to the baby, so you shouldn't consume too much of it.
If you really need that bag of doritos to help you relax, just eat a small bit (but not the whole bag, please) and then put it away. Being relaxed during pregnancy is good for you and your baby, so try not to be too anxious. Try taking fresh food and fruits when you feel like snacking. Those are definitely better than doritos with or without msg

I so agree, its like everytime i turn around i find out i cant eat something else. I mean how on earth did people survive years ago???