Food Safety During Pregnancy

What Foods and Drinks Should I Avoid During Pregnancy?

Foods that are more likely to be contaminated with bacteria or to contain heavy metals are ones to skip or limit during pregnancy.

What Foods Might Contain Harmful Bacteria?

Foodborne illnesses, such as listeriosis, toxoplasmosis, and salmonella, are caused by bacteria that can be found in some kinds of foods. These infections can be life-threatening to an unborn baby and may cause birth defects or miscarriage.

To avoid getting infected with bacteria from food while pregnant, stay away from:

• soft, unpasteurized cheeses (often advertised as "fresh") such as some feta, goat, Brie, Camembert, and blue-veined cheeses, and Mexican queso fresco. Soft cheeses labeled as “pasteurized” usually are OK, especially if they're individually packaged and not cut at the deli counter from a larger piece.
• unpasteurized milk, juices, and apple cider
• raw eggs or foods that contain raw eggs, including mousse, tiramisu, raw cookie dough, eggnog, homemade ice cream, and Caesar salad dressing