Food safety during pregnancy

Time to Be Safe

When you're pregnant, the foods you eat or drink can affect you and your baby more than you realize. For instance, some foods and beverages can cause food-borne illness—a type of illness caused by eating a food that contains harmful bacteria. That's why it's important to know which foods and drinks to be careful with during pregnancy.

Avoid Raw or Undercooked Meat, Fish, Seafood, Poultry, Eggs

These foods can contain harmful bacteria or viruses that may lead to food-borne illness. Always make sure to properly cook meats, poultry, fish, seafood, and eggs thoroughly before eating. Also, avoid refrigerated smoked seafood and raw poultry or pork that comes already stuffed.

Avoid Deli Meats and Salads

Hold off on eating that ham sandwich. Sliced deli meats, hot dogs, deli-prepared chicken, and seafood salad may contain listeria, a type of bacteria that can cause serious illness. If you eat deli meats, they should be heated until steaming hot to kill any bacteria.

Avoid Foods Made with Raw Eggs

Homemade ice cream is delicious, but don't eat it if it was made with raw eggs, which may contain salmonella bacteria. Other foods that may have been made with raw eggs include Caesar salad dressing, raw cookie dough or cake batter, eggnog, and hollandaise sauce.

Avoid Foods Made from Unpasteurized Milk

Milk that hasn't been pasteurized, also known as or called raw milk, can contain E. coli, salmonella, and other types of dangerous bacteria. Watch out for soft cheeses—or any food—made with unpasteurized milk. If you eat soft cheeses such as Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, or queso, make sure the label says it was made from pasteurized milk.

Avoid Fish Containing High Levels of Mercury

High levels of mercury can damage a developing baby's nervous system. It's recommended that pregnant women not eat tilefish, swordfish, shark, or king mackerel.

Avoid Unwashed Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables have healthy nutrients but may also have harmful bacteria. That's why you should always wash fruits and vegetables before eating.

Avoid Raw Sprouts

Raw sprouts, such as alfalfa, clover, and mung bean sprouts, can be a source of several different bacteria, including salmonella, listeria, and E. coli. Unfortunately, rinsing the sprouts does not get rid of the bacteria, so experts recommend that women do not eat any raw sprouts during pregnancy.

Avoid Unpasteurized Juices

It's important to only drink juices that have been pasteurized. Unpasteurized juices, including fresh-squeezed or apple cider, may contain E. coli bacteria. If you order a smoothie made with juice at a restaurant, make sure it's made with pasteurized juice.

The exception to this rule is if you make your own fresh-squeezed juice at home, as long as you thoroughly wash the outside of the fruit or vegetable first.

Avoid Caffeinated Foods and Beverages

Caffeine passes through the placenta and can cause changes in your baby's heart rate. If you find that you really miss your daily latte or soda, talk to your health care provider.

Avoid Herbal Tea

Some herbs can be harmful during pregnancy so just to be safe, it's best to not drink any herbal teas. Even teas labeled as being safe for pregnant women should not be consumed during pregnancy, unless your health care provider says it's okay.

Avoid Alcohol

It is best to hold off on drinking alcohol until after your baby is born because no level of alcohol has been proven safe during pregnancy.

If you have any concerns about the foods you just read about, or about prenatal nutrition, talk with your health care provider.