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Join the clubFoods to avoid during pregnancy
We explain which foods are best avoided during pregnancy and why
Here we explain which foods you should avoid during pregnancy and why, along with what's good for your pregnancy diet.
Key takeaways
- Avoid unpasteurised dairy, certain cheeses, raw meats, and liver products due to risks like listeria and toxoplasmosis.
Limit large oily fish and avoid raw or undercooked fish and shellfish to reduce mercury exposure and bacterial infections.
Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly to prevent toxoplasmosis, which can lead to serious complications in pregnancy.
- 1. Paté
- 2. Cheese with a blue vein or mould-ripened crust
- 3. Raw or undercooked meat and poultry, liver and liver products
- 4. Some raw or undercooked eggs or products made with raw eggs, such as home-made mayonnaise
- 5. Large oily fish, raw fish and uncooked shellfish
- 6. Unpasteurised dairy products, such as goat's milk and cheese
- 7. Unwashed fruit and vegetables
1. Paté
Meat, fish and vegetable patés carry a risk of listeria, a bacterium linked to miscarriage, birth defects and still birth.
2. Cheese with a blue vein or mould-ripened crust
Camembert, Stilton, Brie and unpasteurised cheeses carry a risk of listeria.
3. Raw or undercooked meat and poultry, liver and liver products
Avoid raw meats such as Parma ham and salami because they carry a risk of listeria. Make sure that meat product such as beef burgers, are cooked all the way through to kill off e-coli bacteria. Chicken needs to be cooked until there is no trace of pink or blood as it can be infected with campylobacter bacteria. Too much vitamin A is known to be toxic in pregnancy so avoid all liver and liver products, such as liver sausage and patés.
4. Some raw or undercooked eggs or products made with raw eggs, such as home-made mayonnaise
Pregnant women can now eat lightly cooked hens’ eggs and food containing raw hens’ eggs as long as the eggs carry the British Lion mark. Eggs stamped with the red Lion symbol have come from flocks that have been vaccinated against salmonella. Hens’ eggs which don’t carry the British Lion mark and other eggs, such as duck and quail eggs, are still considered a risk because they can sometimes be infected with salmonella, which can cause serious stomach upsets. Make sure you cook these until the yolk is solid and always wash your hands after handling any eggs.
5. Large oily fish, raw fish and uncooked shellfish
Although oily fish is a healthy food because it helps protect against heart disease, pregnant women are advised not to eat large oily fish, such as shark or swordfish. This is because they eat other fish in the food chain and may contain high concentrations of mercury, which can damage your baby's developing nervous system. Mackerel, herrings, pilchards and sardines are all good, but you should have no more than two 140g portions. Tinned tuna should be limited to four 140g cans per week. Avoid raw fish, smoking salmon, cured fish, oysters and other shellfish such as prawns - unless the prawns have been thoroughly cooked - as they may be contaminated with harmful bacteria.
6. Unpasteurised dairy products, such as goat's milk and cheese
These foods can be infected with a parasite called toxoplasmosis, which can cause miscarriage and birth defects. Pasteurised dairy products including pasteurised goats milk products are fine.
7. Unwashed fruit and vegetables
These foods can be infected with a parasite called toxoplasmosis, which can cause miscarriage and birth defects. Wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly.
