Please reassure me - hot dog when pregnant

[Wheredidmytoddlerhidethekey]

I've just bought and eaten a hot dog out and about (bratwurst)

It was delicious but I ate it without thinking - I'm second trimester. Hot dogs are associated with listeria albeit it's destroyed if heated to a high enough temp. Mine was warm rather than piping hot.

For context, I have had listeriosis in my lifetime (probably - blood tests indicative but not conclusive) and separately have a DC with birth defects from an unknown cause so I'm particularly cautious.

Absolutely kicking myself. It's not referred to on NHS guidelines but is in US and elsewhere. It can take weeks and weeks to show and pregnant women can be asymptomatic but the infection can cross placenta and cause serious problems

Realistically I know the risk is very small. Any anecdotal tales of hot dog stand eating and healthy babies to reassure me?!

I live in Germany and have had three successful pregnancies, with healthy babies at the end, during which numerous bratwurst were consumed
Im sure you'll be fine xx

Thank you 😊 were any bought from tradestand type vendors?

I watched a video on YouTube recently which featured 2 doctors talking about pregnancy. They said it’s fine to eat hot dogs during pregnancy once fully heated to kill any potential bacteria.

I used to crave Hot dogs from the local Wienerschnitzel fast food place where we lived, could get enough of the western dog. Went back after Ds was born and it was dire, never again. Didn't make me ill.

@Temple29

I watched a video on YouTube recently which featured 2 doctors talking about pregnancy. They said it’s fine to eat hot dogs during pregnancy once fully heated to kill any potential bacteria.

I guess this is my only concern - I don't know to what temperature the vendor heated it? At point of eating it was perfectly warm to eat but I wouldn't describe as piping hot. Maybe it was earlier in the process

You are much more likely to get listeria from contaminated fruit and veg, than from cooked meat. The worst offenders are bean sprouts. A bratwurst is a sausage (not a 'hot dog' as in the sort you get from a tin). I assume you aren't avoiding all sausages in pregnancy. There's no reason to. Yes, you'll be absolutely fine. My last pregnancy I downed about a dozen oysters from a food truck at a festival. They were amazing.

How do you accidentally eat a hot dog? Did you forget you were pregnant?

@FurbabyLife

How do you accidentally eat a hot dog? Did you forget you were pregnant?

I didn't accidentally eat it, or forget I was pregnant

I bought it to eat, and as I was finishing it I was thinking about it being a processed pre prepared meat and wondering about the listeria risk which I then looked up (I know it's not on the NHS list but cured meats are which made me think of it) I didn't really think at first when I bought it

@mindutopia

You are much more likely to get listeria from contaminated fruit and veg, than from cooked meat. The worst offenders are bean sprouts. A bratwurst is a sausage (not a 'hot dog' as in the sort you get from a tin). I assume you aren't avoiding all sausages in pregnancy. There's no reason to. Yes, you'll be absolutely fine. My last pregnancy I downed about a dozen oysters from a food truck at a festival. They were amazing.

That's true and I eat a lot of fruit and veg so I suppose statistically it's a bigger risk, yet one I'm relatively comfortable with. I only checked sprouts recently which was lucky as used to eat them a lot with salads!

Thank you 😊

Even street vendors have to heat food to an adequate temperature to kill any bacteria etc, this is easily achieved. The US guidelines are ridiculous so really, just look at the NHS and stop worrying. If you’ve had listeriosis before it wasn’t likely from a hot dog!

My son was practically born 1/3 hotdogs,I craved them badly.Hes fine!

And so was i

I'm sure the vendor will have made it hot enough before selling and it was just cooler by the time you ate it. Be careful of the beginnings of health anxiety here op - get used to reassuring yourself and talking yourself through with cbt techniques rather than relying on outside reassurance

I think hot dogs are often left simmering aren't they?

I also think "cured" meat is a bit of an umbrella term, and hazards are not equal. Sausages in the UK for example don't have high nitrate content like salamis and posher continental sausages.

Not the best nutrition, but unlikely to be harmful. Hope you enjoyed it.

It seems bratwurst is officially to be cooked before eating as opposed to a frankfurter which is ready to eat but should be reheated to avoid listeria

I ordered a bratwurst but it looked more like a frank furter type hot dog to me which they also sold. Who knows!

It was at a large establishment rather than a van where it would be sizzling if that makes sense.

A bit erratic really as I have been trying to avoid processed foods in pregnancy but believe it or not it was a real treat!

Re health anxiety yes you are right, I need to be careful. Not worried about my own health, just DC and baby in utero. I guess it follows a lot of justified worry first time round in pregnancy and later. DC1 is doing amazingly, though!

If its any consolation, I've been through two pregnancies & didn't even realise hotdogs were verboten . The weirdest / dodgiest thing I ate while preggo was an alarmingly rare reindeer steak in a restaurant in Helsinki.

I ate a barely warm hotdog at the local Christmas Market when I was 4 months pregnant. I think the lady literally waved it over the grill. All was fine.

I have been trying to avoid processed foods in pregnancy

That's fine if you're happy with your choices, but isn't necessary for a healthy pregnancy.

Also in Germany, I love Currywurst but went right off them when pregnant.