Deriving its name from its rectangular form, brick is a medium-hard, smear-ripened cheese. As this cheese is smear-ripened, it is not safe to eat it during pregnancy. Smear ripening is a process wherein a washed rind cheese is processed with solutions of bacteria or fungi. Brick cheese also has high levels of cholestrol and sodium in it. Overconsumption of these elements can lead to high blood pressure and heart problems among pregnant women.
