Food safety in pregnancy

Foods to avoid, or take care with

These foods are more likely to carry listeria or other bacteria, so it is safest to skip them, or to cook them thoroughly and eat them straight away:

• Soft and semi-soft cheeses such as brie, camembert, feta, ricotta and blue, unless cooked until steaming hot
• Pre-made or pre-packaged salads, sandwiches and sushi
• Cold deli meats, cold cooked chicken, pate and meat spreads, unless reheated until steaming
• Raw or smoked seafood, oysters, sashimi and raw fish (canned fish is fine)
• Raw or runny eggs and foods made with them, such as homemade mayonnaise or mousse
• Hummus and other tahini-based dips
• Soft-serve ice cream
• Unpasteurised dairy, and unpasteurised, fresh or cold-pressed juices
• Pre-cut or pre-packaged fruit, and raw bean sprouts

Other things to know

• Caffeine: keep to about 200mg a day, roughly one to two cups of coffee, counting tea, cola and chocolate too
• Alcohol: no amount is known to be safe, so the safest choice is none. See drugs, alcohol, smoking and vaping
• Fish: a few serves a week of low-mercury fish such as salmon is great for your baby, but limit high-mercury fish like shark (flake), marlin and swordfish

Safer habits

• Cook food, especially meat, chicken and eggs, until steaming hot all the way through
• Eat freshly cooked food where you can, and reheat leftovers until piping hot, within a day
• Keep your fridge below 5 degrees, and refrigerate leftovers promptly
• Wash fruit and vegetables well, and use separate boards for raw and ready-to-eat food

If you think you have eaten something risky

Most of the time nothing will come of it. But listeria can take weeks to cause symptoms, so if you develop fever, chills, aches or feel generally unwell, see your GP or call the maternity unit on 02 6330 5210, and let them know you are pregnant and concerned about something you have eaten.