Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy: A Complete Guide

Pregnancy changes how your immune system responds to certain bacteria, making food safety especially important. Here's a practical list of what to avoid or limit.

Foods to avoid completely

• Raw or undercooked seafood: sushi, sashimi, raw oysters
• Unpasteurized dairy and juices: soft cheeses made from raw milk, unpasteurized cider
• Raw or runny eggs: homemade mayo, hollandaise, tiramisu, cookie dough
• Raw sprouts: alfalfa, clover, radish, mung bean sprouts
• High-mercury fish: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, bigeye tuna
• Alcohol: no known safe amount during pregnancy
• Deli meats and hot dogs unless heated: heat until steaming to reduce listeria risk

Foods to limit

• Caffeine: keep under 200 mg per day (about one 12-oz coffee)
• Low-mercury fish: 8-12 ounces per week total, including shrimp, salmon, pollock, and catfish
• Canned light tuna: a lower-mercury choice; include within a varied total of 8–12 ounces of lower-mercury seafood per week

Safe alternatives

Instead of raw sushi, choose cooked rolls or vegetable rolls. Instead of soft cheeses, choose pasteurized versions. Instead of deli sandwiches cold, heat the meat until steaming.

Use our tool

Try our Can I Eat X? tool for quick answers on specific foods.