Foods to avoid in pregnancy

Liver and other foods containing vitamin A

Avoid liver and liver products, such as liver pâté and liver sausage. It’s not safe to take multivitamins containing vitamin A or fish liver oils, such as cod liver oil. Also steer clear of any foods that have vitamin A added (they may say ‘fortified with vitamin A’).

Why? Liver has high levels of vitamin A, and too much of this can harm your baby.

Pâté

Avoid all types of pâté, including vegetable pâté.

Why? They may contain listeria. These are bacteria that can cause an infection called listeriosis. Listeriosis can harm a baby during pregnancy or cause severe illness in a newborn. Liver pate can also have high levels of vitamin A, which is harmful to the baby.

Certain cheeses

Avoid:

• mould-ripened soft cheeses, such as brie, camembert and others with a similar rind, including goats’ cheese (unless cooked until steaming hot).
• soft blue-veined cheeses, such as Danish blue, gorgonzola and Roquefort (unless cooked until steaming hot).

Why? There’s a risk that these cheeses could contain listeria.

Find out more on the NHS website.

Undercooked ready meals

It’s important to follow the cooking instructions on the pack of any ready meals you eat. Also, check that the meal is piping hot all the way through before you eat it. This is especially important for meals containing poultry, such as chicken or turkey.

Why? There’s a risk that these could contain listeria.

Raw eggs or undercooked eggs (excepting Lion Code)

It’s important that any eggs you eat are cooked until the yolks and whites are solid all the way through. Using eggs in cooked recipes is safe but avoid foods that have raw egg in them, such as homemade mayonnaise or mousse.

Why? There’s a risk of salmonella, a common cause of food poisoning that can harm the baby and make you very unwell.

Red Lion eggs are an exception

Eggs that are produced under a food safety standard called the British Lion Code of Practice have a much lower risk of salmonella and are safe to eat raw or partially cooked.

• Each egg has a logo stamped on their shell, showing a red lion.
• Cartons have the quality mark on the label
• It only appears on hen eggs

Lion Code eggs are considered very low risk for salmonella, and safe for pregnant women to eat raw or partially cooked.

What happens if I get Salmonella?

Salmonella food poisoning is unlikely to harm your baby, but it can give you a bad bout of diarrhoea and vomiting.

Certain kinds of fish

Fish is good for you and you should aim to eat at least two portions a week, including one portion of oily fish, such as fresh tuna, mackerel or sardines. However, there are some types of fish you should avoid and some you should limit:

• Avoid shark, swordfish and marlin as they have high levels of mercury, which could affect your baby’s nervous system.
• Limit tuna to no more than two fresh steaks or four medium cans of tinned tuna a week because it also has high levels of mercury.
• Limit oily fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines, trout, herring, pilchards) to no more than two portions a week as they contain pollutants.
• Avoid eating raw shellfish, such as oysters, as they may give you food poisoning. (Cooked shellfish are fine – these include cold pre-cooked prawns.)