Meat during pregnancy

Every meat entry, with a verdict

Sorted with the ones worth knowing about first. Avoid means skip it entirely; take care means it depends on how it was prepared.

• Raw meat

  Avoid

  Raw meat (including carpaccio and tartare) can contain harmful bacteria like salmonella, coliform bacteria etc. It will probably not do harm to the placenta and the baby, but diseases caused by these bacteria will make you sick, and can lead to further problems. Do not refuse meat — just cook it with the right temperature. Your healthcare provider will likely provide you with a list of approved foods and recommended cooking instructions. Use this tip from the FDA to cook meat properly: Beef, pork, veal, and lamb roasts, steaks, and chops to at least 145° F (63° C), Ground beef, veal, lamb, and pork to at least 160° F (71° C). Ground poultry to 165° F (74° C).

• Meat pate

  Avoid

  It’s not safe to eat any type of pate during pregnancy, even vegetable pate! Pate can be contaminated with listeria bacteria. Listeriosis can cause mild, flu-like symptoms that can appear anything from several days to several months after you’ve been exposed to the bacteria. Even though it’s usually a fairly mild illness, it may harm your unborn baby and lead to difficulties with birth.

• Liver pate

  Avoid

  It’s not safe to eat any type of pate during pregnancy, even vegetable pate! Pate can be contaminated with listeria bacteria. Listeriosis can cause mild, flu-like symptoms that can appear anything from several days to several months after you’ve been exposed to the bacteria. Even though it’s usually a fairly mild illness, it may harm your unborn baby and lead to difficulties with birth. Also, liver contains high amounts of preformed vitamin A, or retinol. Too much of this type of vitamin A in your diet can cause birth defects in your developing baby, especially during the first months of pregnancy.

• Steak (from blue rare to medium well)

  Avoid

  Steak with blood (so any steak except well-done) can contain harmful bacteria like salmonella, coliform bacteria etc. It will probably not do harm to the placenta and the baby, but diseases caused by these bacteria will make you sick, and can lead to further problems. Do not refuse meat — just cook it with the right temperature. Your healthcare provider will likely provide you with a list of approved foods and recommended cooking instructions. Use this tip from the FDA to cook meat properly: Beef, pork, veal, and lamb roasts, steaks, and chops to at least 145° F (63° C), Ground beef, veal, lamb, and pork to at least 160° F (71° C). Ground poultry to 165° F (74° C).

• Cooked meat with blood

  Avoid

  Raw meat can contain harmful bacteria like salmonella, coliform bacteria etc. It will not probably do harm to the placenta and the baby, but diseases caused by these bacteria will make you sick, and it can lead to further problems. Do not refuse meat — just cook it with the right temperature. Your healthcare provider will likely provide you with a list of approved foods and recommended cooking instructions. Use this tip from the FDA to cook meat properly: Beef, pork, veal, and lamb roasts, steaks, and chops to at least 145° F (63° C), Ground beef, veal, lamb, and pork to at least 160° F (71° C). Ground poultry to 165° F (74° C).

• Deli meat

  Take care

  Deli meats (including jamon) are not the best products for pregnancy as they can be contaminated with listeria that causes lots of problems, sometimes even miscarriage. Listeria has the ability to cross the placenta and may infect the baby — definitely no ok! But if you cannot refuse eating deli meat during pregnancy, be sure to reheat it until it is steaming — at a higher temperature listeria dies and can do no harm.

• Liver

  Take care

  Surprised to see liver in the "Dangerous" category? Yep, that's it. Liver is rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein, but it contains high amounts of preformed vitamin A, or retinol. Too much of this type of vitamin A in your diet can cause birth defects in your developing baby, especially during the first months of pregnancy. And don't forget that you are also taking supplements containing vitamin A! So to avoid receiving a toxic amount of preformed vitamin A reduce consuming liver dishes to 1-2 times a month and in really small portions! Avoid liver pate: it can be contaminated with listeria.

• Well-cooked meat

  Safe

  Well-cooked meat with the temperature no lower than 170°F is okay to eat. It contains protein, zinc and iron, which are nutrients needed by you and your baby! Use this tip from the FDA to cook meat properly: Beef, pork, veal, and lamb roasts, steaks, and chops to at least 145° F (63° C), Ground beef, veal, lamb, and pork to at least 160° F (71° C). Ground poultry to 165° F (74° C).

• Sausages

  Safe

  Sausages are okay during pregnancy. Cook them until piping hot throughout; eat while hot. Store leftovers covered in the fridge and eat within 2 days and heat to steam before eating. Choose sausages by trusted producers and make sure they are fresh before buying!

• Steak well-done

  Safe

  Well-cooked steak with the temperature no lower than 170°F is okay to eat. It contains protein, zinc and iron, which are nutrients needed by you and your baby! Use this tip from the FDA to cook meat properly: Beef, pork, veal, and lamb roasts, steaks, and chops to at least 145° F (63° C), Ground beef, veal, lamb, and pork to at least 160° F (71° C). Ground poultry to 165° F (74° C).

• Canned meat

  Safe

  Canned meat is okay to eat and cook, make sure the cans are fresh, store in the fridge and eat within 2 days after opening.

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