undercooked meat

[breadandhoney]

I'm about 7 weeks pregnant and DH is taking me out for dinner tonight. I am in the mood for a big juicy steak. During my first pregnancy I avoided steak as I like it medium, pink in the middle, and a midwife told me at my booking appointment only to eat meat that was cooked right through.

Any advice? Can I eat a pink steak, or should I avoid it?

Oh, and just to let you know, I am aware of how ridiculous this sounds!

I have mine 'medium well' as a compromise, the risk is small but you must balance it out in your own head vs/ the iron intake! I think as long as its not raw its ok. I have read conflicting advice too.

My mw said pink in the middle is ok, red a definite no no. So I wouldn't order medium rare, but medium is safe enough. Enjoy! I fancy a steak now...

I have given up steak whilst pregnant, I will not have it well done I refuse so DP has been given instructions to bring rare fillet steak to the hospital when DC3 is born.
Hard as someone who is very anaemic and usually lives off rare/blue steak.

Food poisoning bacteria generally lives on the outside of meat - so if you have a steak or other big lump which is cooked properly on the outside it will be fine.

That's why burgers are more risky if they're not done in the middle - the bits the bacteria might have been on get mixed all through.

The fun police keep changing the rules on this one. The nhs said recently that it was okay so long as it was cooked on the outside. They've now changed their policy. Too late for me not to have eaten the three pink steaks I'd eaten in the firs thalf of my pregnancy. Ach well!

pickle I noticed that change on the website too, it was very recent, I am only 13 weeks and the advice has changed during my pregnancy..........

It's not about bacteria/poisoning, it's about toxoplasmosis.

I love my steak practically mooing, so I've just given it up for the duration of my pregnancy :(

My apologies - it used to be about food poisoning.

Toxoplasmosis in the body of joints is a rare thing indeed.

Thank you all. Sorry for the delay. I was leaving dd with mum for the night and am getting ready for dinner out Will go for the medium steak. Had considered medium-well but in at experience that comes as well done! Now I wonder if there will be chocolate fondant for dessert.... (last pregnancy I wouldn't have eaten that due to the risk of undercooked eggs )

My first meal post-birth is going to be:

Faux gras pâté
Steak tatare with a nice raw egg yolk
Cheese course with blue cheese and mould ripened goats cheese.
Chocolate Fondant

With a glass of red :D

Did I miss anything out?