Which foods aren't safe for me to eat now I'm pregnant?

There are foods you'll have to give up or cut down on during pregnancy, because they could harm your baby:




Some cheeses and dairy products



•Cheeses with a white, mouldy rind, such as brie and camembert, and blue-veined cheeses. Also steer clear of unpasteurised soft cheeses, such as those made from sheep and goat's milk. All these cheeses could contain listeria bacteria. Listeria can cause an infection called listeriosis that may harm your baby.





•Unpasteurised milk and dairy products made with unpasteurised milk aren't safe during pregnancy. They are more likely to contain bacteria that could give you food poisoning. You're more vulnerable to food poisoning while you're pregnant.

Eggs



•Raw or undercooked eggs can contain salmonella bacteria. Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. Don't eat mousse, ice cream and fresh mayonnaise from delis or restaurants as these may contain raw egg. However, salad dressings that you buy in supermarkets, such as mayonnaise, are usually made using pasteurised egg, so are safe to eat.

Meat



•Liver isn't safe to eat during pregnancy. However, all other fresh meats are fine. Just make sure you cook meat thoroughly until there are no pink bits in the centre and the juices run clear. Be extra careful when cooking meat on a barbecue, or as part of a microwavable ready meal.





•It's best not to eat cured meats, such as parma ham and salami. These carry a risk of listeriosis and toxoplasmosis.





•All pate, whether made from meat, fish or vegetables, may contain listeria bacteria, which can harm your baby.

Fish



•Oily fish is good for you and your baby, but it can contain environmental pollutants. So it's best to eat no more than two portions of oily fish a week.





•Don't eat any shark, swordfish and marlin. These fish contain unsafe levels of naturally occurring mercury. Tuna contains some mercury too, so it's best you don't eat more than four medium-sized cans, or two fresh tuna steaks per week.





•Raw shellfish isn't safe when you're pregnant, because it can cause food poisoning.

Drinks



•It's best not to have more than 200mg of caffeine a day. That’s two cups of instant coffee, two mugs of tea or five cans of cola a day. Drinking lots of caffeine during pregnancy has been linked to miscarriage and low birth weight. You could switch to decaffeinated drinks instead.





•Government advice is that you stop drinking alcohol during pregnancy. If you want to drink during your pregnancy, don’t drink more than one or two units of alcohol, once or twice a week, and don't get drunk.

For more information about what's safe and what's not, visit our food and drink safety area.