During pregnancy, your immune system shifts in ways that make you more vulnerable to certain foodborne infections, and some substances can cross the placenta and directly affect your baby’s development. The list of things to avoid is shorter than many people expect, but the items on it matter. Here’s what to skip, what to limit, and what’s safe with the right preparation.
Alcohol: No Safe Amount
Alcohol is the one item on this list with zero wiggle room. There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy. It can disrupt your baby’s brain and organ development at any stage, even before you know you’re pregnant. Binge drinking and heavy drinking carry the greatest risk, but even smaller amounts can cause harm.
Prenatal alcohol exposure can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, a range of physical, cognitive, and behavioral problems. These can include a smaller brain size, changes in specific brain regions, learning difficulties, poor coordination, and distinct facial features. Because roughly half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, the U.S. Surgeon General recommends that anyone who is pregnant, might be pregnant, or is trying to become pregnant avoid alcohol entirely.
High-Mercury Fish
Fish is genuinely good for you during pregnancy. It’s a top source of omega-3 fatty acids that support your baby’s brain development. The issue isn’t fish itself; it’s the mercury that accumulates in certain large, long-lived species. Mercury can damage a developing nervous system, so the FDA maintains a short list of fish to avoid completely:
- King mackerel
- Marlin
- Orange roughy
- Shark
- Swordfish
- Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico)
- Bigeye tuna
You can safely eat two to three servings per week from the FDA’s “Best Choices” category, which includes salmon, shrimp, tilapia, cod, catfish, canned light tuna (skipjack), sardines, trout, pollock, and many others. These are low in mercury and high in nutrients. The goal is to eat fish regularly while steering clear of the seven species above.
Raw and Undercooked Meat
Undercooked meat can harbor bacteria and parasites, including Toxoplasma, Salmonella, and E. coli. During pregnancy your body is less equipped to fight these off, and the consequences for your baby can be severe. A food thermometer is the only reliable way to know meat is done. The FDA’s minimum internal temperatures for pregnant women are:
- Poultry (including ground chicken and turkey): 165°F
- Ground beef, pork, veal, and lamb: 160°F
- Steaks, roasts, and chops (beef, pork, veal, lamb): 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest before cutting
This means rare and medium-rare steaks are off the table for now. The same goes for any pink burger. If you’re eating out, don’t hesitate to send meat back if it’s not cooked through.
Deli Meats and Hot Dogs
Cold deli meats, lunch meats, and hot dogs are a well-known source of Listeria, a bacterium that’s particularly dangerous during pregnancy. Pregnant women are significantly more susceptible to listeriosis, and the infection has an affinity for placental tissue. It can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm labor, or serious newborn infections including sepsis and meningitis.
The fix is simple: heat deli meats and hot dogs until they’re steaming hot, at least 165°F, before eating them. Cold deli sandwiches from a shop or a package that hasn’t been reheated are the risk. Once the meat is heated through, the bacteria are killed. If you can’t reheat it, skip it.
Raw Seafood, Eggs, and Sprouts
Sushi made with raw fish, raw oysters, ceviche, and any other uncooked seafood should be avoided. The risk comes from parasites and bacteria that cooking would destroy. Smoked seafood sold refrigerated (like lox) also carries Listeria risk unless it’s been cooked into a dish.
Raw or runny eggs can carry Salmonella. This includes homemade Caesar dressing, hollandaise sauce, raw cookie dough, and soft-scrambled eggs where the yolk is still liquid. Eggs cooked until both the white and yolk are firm are safe.
Raw sprouts, including alfalfa, clover, mung bean, and radish sprouts, deserve special attention. Bacteria like Salmonella and E. coli can contaminate the seeds before sprouting begins, and once inside, they multiply to extremely high levels during the warm, moist sprouting process. Washing or treating the sprouts with disinfectants does not eliminate the pathogens. The only way to make sprouts safe is to cook them thoroughly. If your sandwich or stir-fry contains raw sprouts, ask for them to be left off.
Unpasteurized Dairy and Juice
Raw (unpasteurized) milk and any cheese made from raw milk can carry Listeria, Salmonella, and E. coli. Soft cheeses are the biggest concern because their high moisture content is especially hospitable to bacteria. Brie, Camembert, queso fresco, blue-veined cheeses, and feta are all safe to eat during pregnancy as long as the label says “made with pasteurized milk.” If you’re at a farmers’ market or restaurant and can’t confirm pasteurization, it’s best to pass.
The same rule applies to juice. Fresh-squeezed, unpasteurized juice and cider sold at farm stands or juice bars can harbor harmful bacteria. Shelf-stable and refrigerated juices labeled “pasteurized” are fine.
Caffeine: Keep It Under 200 mg
You don’t have to give up coffee. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists sets the limit at less than 200 mg of caffeine per day, a guideline reaffirmed as recently as 2023. That’s roughly one 12-ounce cup of home-brewed coffee. Moderate intake at this level does not appear to be a major factor in miscarriage or preterm birth.
Where people get tripped up is underestimating how quickly caffeine adds up. A grande (16 oz) coffee from a chain can contain 300 mg or more. Tea, energy drinks, chocolate, and some sodas also contribute. If you’re a heavy coffee drinker, you may need to switch to a smaller cup or half-caff rather than relying on willpower to stop at one.
Herbal Teas and Supplements
Herbal teas feel like the healthy alternative to coffee, but several common herbs have documented risks during pregnancy. Unlike standard black or green tea, herbal teas are unregulated and can contain compounds that stimulate the uterus or affect fetal development.
Chamomile is one of the most widely consumed herbal teas, but regular use during pregnancy has been linked to preterm delivery, lower birth weight, and a rare but serious narrowing of a key blood vessel in the fetal heart. Raspberry leaf tea is often marketed as a labor preparation aid, but it’s classified as “use with caution” during pregnancy, and there’s a documented case of it triggering dangerously low blood sugar in a woman with gestational diabetes. Peppermint tea in large quantities is contraindicated in early pregnancy because it can stimulate menstruation. Fennel tea has shown estrogenic effects and toxic effects on fetal cells in animal studies.
Ginger tea in small amounts (under 1,000 mg per day) is commonly used for morning sickness, but higher doses have been associated with spotting, bleeding, and a possible increase in preterm birth. If you want to use ginger for nausea, keep to the recommended dose and avoid exceeding 4 grams daily.
The safest approach with herbal teas is to treat them as supplements, not just beverages. An occasional cup is different from daily, heavy consumption. If a product contains herbs you’re not familiar with, check before drinking it routinely.
Quick Reference: Safe Swaps
- Instead of raw sushi: cooked rolls (shrimp tempura, eel, crab) or vegetable rolls
- Instead of cold deli meat: the same meat heated until steaming
- Instead of rare steak: medium-well or well-done (145°F minimum with a rest)
- Instead of soft cheese from unknown sources: any cheese labeled “pasteurized”
- Instead of a large coffee: a small (8–12 oz) cup, or half-caff
- Instead of raw sprouts: cooked sprouts, or lettuce and other greens
- Instead of fresh-squeezed juice: pasteurized juice or whole fruit