Pregnancy guide

Hard cheeses like cheddar, parmesan, and colby are safe regardless of whether they are made from pasteurised milk.

Commercially produced cream cheese is pasteurised and safe to eat during pregnancy.

Commercially produced ricotta is pasteurised. Avoid ricotta from delis where it may have been sitting out.

Commercially packaged cottage cheese is pasteurised and safe.

Soft mould-ripened cheeses like brie carry a listeria risk as they can harbour bacteria during the ripening process.

Tip: Safe if cooked until steaming hot, e.g. baked brie.

Soft mould-ripened cheese with listeria risk. The mould rind provides conditions for bacteria to grow.

Tip: Safe when cooked thoroughly until steaming.

Blue-veined cheeses like gorgonzola and roquefort are moist and can contain listeria.

Fresh feta from delis can carry listeria. Packaged, pasteurised feta is safer.

Tip: Check the label — pasteurised and vacuum-sealed is fine.

Soft serve machines can harbour listeria in the nozzle and refrigeration unit. Best avoided entirely.

Store-bought packaged ice cream is pasteurised and safe. Avoid flavours with raw egg, alcohol, or soft serve swirls.

All commercially sold milk in Australia is pasteurised and safe during pregnancy.

Unpasteurised milk can contain harmful bacteria including listeria, salmonella, and E. coli.

Commercial yoghurt is made from pasteurised milk and is safe, including Greek yoghurt and flavoured varieties.

Cooked salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 DHA for your baby's brain development. Aim for 2-3 serves per week.

Raw fish can contain listeria and parasites. Japanese health authorities and FSANZ advise avoiding raw fish during pregnancy.

Sushi made with cooked ingredients (prawn, crab, egg, vegetables, avocado) is safe. Avoid raw fish and smoked salmon fillings.

Cold-smoked salmon (lox, gravlax) is not fully cooked and carries a listeria risk.

Tip: Hot-smoked salmon that is fully cooked throughout is safe.

Cooked prawns are safe and a good source of protein. Avoid pre-cooked prawns from the deli that may have been sitting out.

Raw shellfish can contain harmful viruses and bacteria. Avoid raw oysters, mussels, and clams.

Oysters that are cooked until steaming hot are safe to eat.

Canned tuna is higher in mercury than other fish. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) recommends limiting to 2-3 serves per week.

Tip: Canned salmon and sardines are lower in mercury and equally nutritious.

Shark (sold as flake in fish and chip shops) is very high in mercury and should be avoided during pregnancy.

High mercury fish. FSANZ recommends pregnant women avoid swordfish, marlin, broadbill, and orange roughy.

Low in mercury and high in omega-3 DHA. Fresh or canned sardines are an excellent pregnancy food.

Cooked crab is safe and a good source of protein and zinc.

Fully cooked lobster is safe to eat during pregnancy.

Check what fish is used — avoid shark/flake. Battered and deep-fried fish (bream, flathead, whiting) is safe.

Tip: Ask what type of fish is used before ordering.

Chicken cooked to 75°C internal temperature is safe. Make sure juices run clear with no pink remaining.

Fully cooked beef (well-done) is safe. Aim for no pink in the centre.

Medium-rare beef may contain toxoplasma and other bacteria. FSANZ recommends well-done meat during pregnancy.

Tip: If eating steak, request well-done.

Cold pre-sliced meats like ham, salami, and turkey can harbour listeria, which grows even at refrigerator temperatures.

Tip: Safe if heated until steaming hot, e.g. in a toasted sandwich.

All pâtés — including vegetable pâté — carry a listeria risk and should be avoided during pregnancy.

Sausages cooked until steaming hot throughout with no pink remaining are safe.

Jerky is dried but not fully cooked, which may not reach temperatures needed to kill bacteria.

Tip: Commercially produced jerky carries lower risk than homemade.

Liver is extremely high in vitamin A (retinol). Excess vitamin A can harm fetal development.

Fully cooked lamb is safe. Avoid pink or undercooked lamb.

Cured but not cooked meats carry listeria risk. Best avoided during pregnancy.

Eggs cooked until both the white and yolk are firm are safe. Scrambled, hard-boiled, and baked eggs are all fine.

Eggs with runny or soft yolks may carry salmonella risk if not from a pasteurised source.

Tip: In Australia, commercially sold eggs are generally safe. The risk is low but real.

Poached eggs with a soft yolk carry a small salmonella risk. Fully set poached eggs are safe.

Raw eggs can contain salmonella. Avoid foods made with raw eggs including homemade mousse, raw cookie dough, and homemade eggnog.

Traditionally made with raw eggs, which carry a salmonella risk.

Commercial mayonnaise is made with pasteurised eggs and is safe during pregnancy.

Fresh fruit is excellent during pregnancy. Always wash thoroughly under running water before eating.

Fresh salad is healthy and safe when washed well. Grow your own or buy whole heads and wash at home.

Pre-washed, pre-packaged salads can carry listeria risk. Wash again at home to reduce risk.

Tip: Even if the bag says "triple washed", washing again is good practice during pregnancy.

Pre-cut melon (rockmelon, watermelon) sold at delis and supermarkets can carry listeria. Buy whole and cut at home.

Bean sprouts, alfalfa, and mung bean sprouts can harbour E. coli and salmonella in their warm, moist growing conditions.

Sprouts that are thoroughly cooked until steaming hot are safe.

Unripe or semi-ripe papaya contains latex which may trigger uterine contractions. Ripe papaya is fine.

Fully ripe papaya is safe and a good source of folate and vitamin C.

Pineapple is safe in normal food amounts. The bromelain content in food quantities does not pose a risk.

Buying a whole rockmelon and cutting it at home is safe. The listeria risk comes from pre-cut portions.

Avocado is safe and an excellent source of folate and healthy fats during pregnancy.

All cooked vegetables are safe. Cooking kills harmful bacteria.

There is no known safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy. The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommends not drinking at all.

Limit caffeine to under 200 mg per day — roughly one small to medium flat white. High caffeine intake is linked to low birth weight.

Tip: Decaf is a safe alternative and widely available in Sydney cafés.

Tea contains caffeine — count it toward your daily 200 mg limit. A cup of black tea has around 50 mg.

Green tea contains caffeine and also reduces folate absorption. Limit to one cup per day.

Many herbal teas are safe (ginger, peppermint, rooibos, chamomile in moderation). Others are not — avoid high-dose raspberry leaf until week 36, and avoid pennyroyal, wormwood, and sage tea entirely.

Tip: Ginger tea is great for nausea in the first trimester.

Plain sparkling water is safe and a good way to stay hydrated if you find still water unappealing.

Fresh-squeezed juice from juice bars is unpasteurised and may carry bacteria. Bottled, pasteurised juice from the supermarket is safe.

Energy drinks are high in caffeine and often contain other stimulants not studied in pregnancy. Avoid entirely.

Kombucha is unpasteurised and contains small amounts of alcohol and caffeine. Best avoided during pregnancy.

Coconut water is safe and a good source of electrolytes, especially helpful for hydration in Sydney summers.

Pre-made deli salads (coleslaw, pasta salad, seafood salad) can harbour listeria. Make your own at home instead.

Pre-made supermarket sushi with cooked fillings is generally safe but has been sitting for hours. Choose fresh-made over pre-packaged.

Tip: Vegetarian or cooked-filling sushi rolls made fresh are the safest option.

Commercially packaged hummus is safe. Avoid deli-style hummus in open containers.

All nuts are safe during pregnancy and an excellent source of protein, healthy fats, and folate. No evidence that eating nuts increases allergy risk in the baby.

Real liquorice (containing glycyrrhizin) in large amounts has been linked to preterm birth. Occasional amounts are likely fine.

Tip: Most "liquorice" confectionery in Australia contains anise, not real liquorice root, and is safe.

Honey is safe for pregnant women. The botulism risk from honey applies only to infants under 12 months.

Fresh-pressed juice from cafés and juice bars is unpasteurised and may contain E. coli or salmonella.

Commercially baked breads and pretzels are safe. Avoid if topped with soft unpasteurised cheeses.

Vegemite is a good source of folate and B vitamins. Safe and beneficial during pregnancy in normal amounts.

Peanut butter is safe during pregnancy. Eating peanuts during pregnancy does not increase your baby's allergy risk.

Tahini (sesame paste) can be made from raw seeds. Store-bought pasteurised tahini is safe; artisan or raw tahini carries a small risk.

Commercially bottled Caesar dressing uses pasteurised eggs and is safe.

Traditional restaurant Caesar dressing is made with raw egg and anchovies. Ask if it contains raw egg before ordering.

Classic hollandaise is made with raw egg yolks and served warm — not hot enough to kill bacteria. Best avoided at cafés and restaurants.

Commercial tomato sauce is pasteurised and safe. Fine in normal quantities.

Soy sauce is safe in normal food amounts. It is high in sodium so use in moderation if you are watching salt intake.