Is it really so bad to eat Pate ?

[FoghornLeghorn]

I have a slab of Pate in my fridge and it is just calling me - Is it really so bad ?

TBH, I haven't really gone for all of this 'don't eat this don't eat that' nonsense through my other pregnancies, I've avoided the things that are harmful to the baby not things that carry a risk of me getting ill which then has a knock on effect to the baby

[cocothomas1234]

The chances of getting lysteria from pate is around 1 in 40,000. You're more likely to fall down the stairs or crash your car driving to get the damn stuff. And as for the vitamin A content, as high as it is, you'd have to eat a hell of a lot. I think that rule is more there for people who are craving it and eating a massive slab each day (I can understand that as it's a big craver!). I ate pate through both my pregnancies prob once every couple of weeks or so and both my babies are just fine. Just be sensible about it, if you go to party and it's been hanging around at the buffet table don't touch it (along with the salad or anything else). Waitrose do brussels smooth pate which is sealed in sections so you are always opening a fresh pot, just have a little slither now and then rather than the entire tub and you'll be fine.

[CityMole]

bluemoonday that's an interesting article. Just to focus on alcohol as one example, I've seen several studies which have noted that there is no greater risk in moderate drinking compared to abstinence during pregnancy, and other studies which suggest increased IQ amongst test groups who did drink alcohol compared to those who had none Commentary on these studies suggests that women from a higher socio-economic group are extremely unlikely to binge drink but much more likely to have the odd glass of wine rather than abstain altogether- and this category of women generally have babies with higher on average IQs, so that might explain the study. But who knows! The problem is that nobody seems to know at what point 'moderate' drinking tips into the dangerground that can give you a baby with FAS or other similar problems. Because of this, no medical advisor is going to stake their career on trying to define that line in the sand, so it is better all round for the advice to be that 'we can't say what amount is safe so it's better to abstain'. It is such a shame that our litigious society means that this advice can then be manipulated into scaremongering horror stories, that are sometimes used with the objective of controlling women and their bodies.

[CityMole]

Mummy, I totally agree with the spirit of your post but I would challenge blindly trotting out comments like "Advice on foods is there for a reason". Yes, the reason is to discourage you from eating it, but I am suspicious of some of the motives. Some advice is not based on any evidence-led studies, and more often than not conjecture and social policy contribute to 'advice' as much as anything else. And even where there are scientific studies to support certain advice, not all of them are terribly convincing!

Still, there is nothing quite as contentious as what a pregnant woman should or shouldn't do with her body, and I am increasingly of the view that 'get informed on the actual facts and then make a decision that you are comfortable with' is perhaps the best advice to intelligent and informed women.

[eurochick]

I wouldn't eat it because I think pate is minging. It's also a "double risk" - high levels of vit A from the liver, plus the listeria risk. I did eat some higher risk foods when pregnant, such as runny eggs, when fresh and home cooked, as that was a risk I was prepared to take and assessed it to be a very small risk. You have to make up your mind whether you are happier eating the pate or if you will drive yourself mad with worry if you do!

[bluemoonday]

If anyone is interested in whether or not to eat pate, drink coffee, have a glass of wine, any of that stuff, I highly recommend 'Expecting Better' by Prof Emily Oster. Fantastic book that takes a look at the research and evidence (or lack thereof) behind the scaremongering.

There's a nice article about her research here, if anyone is interested.

[Mummyme87]

Pate was the only thing I didn't eat due to the high vitamin A content and potential to cause birth defects.

Listeria are low risks but massive consequences. Advice on foods is there for a reason

[CityMole]

Recent advice is that Sushi is not off the menu - so long as the fish has been properly frozen first to kill any worms which might otherwise casue anisakidosis

The issue with pate is the risk of too much Vit A, so it's not really down to where you buy it or how good quality it is- in fact, if anything, the shit quality stuff with low liver content is probably lower risk.

I hear what you're saying, but I don't think there's any need to be gung ho, or to mock those who are more risk averse than me. I'm of continental stock, so I've been eating rare steak and drinking the odd glass of red wine regularly throughout my pregnancy, as is normal in my culture- a lot of the advice people in Britain are given comes- not from scientific evidence- from a public health point of view which regards our culture as one typified by a lack of restraint/impulse control, couples with poor education as to what is sensible or constitutes moderation.

Having said that, there are still risks to consider, even with a moderate lifestyle. I have only had pate a couple of times, because there IS a minute risk that Vit A toxicity can cause fetal abnormalities, and I've steered clear entirely from unpasteurised cheese too because it is just too much of an unknown for me to be able to feel comfortable at quantifying and accepting that risk.

[Cosmoieva]

Ok, this post is almost 10 years old but I'd like to add that I've had beef liver pate almost every day of my pregnancy and now is week 37 and all is good. I had never paid much attention to the 'dont eat this or that' lists because it seems like a nonsense, it excludes almost all the foods that I live and thrive on. And tell me, are pregnant women in Japan refusing to eat sushi for 9 months? Do French stop eating their Brie and Camembert? I don't think so. Buy good quality stuff and eat it fresh and you'll be grand! :)

[DaisyMoo]

You can't pasteurise whole eggs

The red lion means that they come from birds vaccinated against Salmonella - not a guarantee, but should reduce the risks

[MassiveMollyfloss]

Apparently as long as the eggs have the little red lion stamp on them they are ok as that means they are pasteurised and salmonella free.

[nosnikrap]

Am I the only one with an egg problem? its all pate this and peanuts that, . The only precaution I take is buying fresh free range organic eggs, happy hens are healthy hens! btw I have never had, or known anyone who has had food poisoning. Just don't eat food off the floor thats what I say!

[LadyOfWassail]

OMG, I am craving it now! I think avoid liver pate, that's kinda 2 in 1 of no no things to eat, but, I daresay I will eat some over Christmas. It's the only time of the year I ever eat pate, and it's only ever about 2 slices. With lovely crumbly pate spread over it [drool]

[CloudAtlas]

I'd eat it, I scoffed loads of stinking festering seeping cheese in my second pregnancy. I think that prawns are fine as long as they're cooked, as if you'd eat raw ones!

[festivecircus]

I haven't been eating pate but had no idea I was also supposed to avoid prawns! And I'm 39 weeks now so it's probably a bit late to start worrying about it...

[chloemegjess]

I woudldn't. I have been craving Liver pate through my whole pregnany, and I am now due on sun! I wouldn't, especially if its liver pate, as the vitamin A in in is toxic to the baby, even in smallish amounts. Obviously if you had a TINY bit, it wouldn't do much harm, but there is so much vit A, that even a slice of toast with pate could be very harmfull.

I don't want to scare you, I just know I could never live with myslef because of not being able to stop myself eating it for 9months! I will be eating it as soon as baby is born!

[spackcat]

As for soft cheeses, isn't it because the cheese is unpasturised? Surely then the cheese board selection in marks and sparks that says that all the cheese is made from pasturised milk in the ingredients list is ok to eat then?

[spackcat]

I think it's ok to eat peanuts now anyway, they have found no difference in allergies in the countries where they are widely eaten both in pregnancy and before the age of 1, so they are now back-tracking on this and saying it's probably fine after all! Personally I'm with coldtits and peanutbutterkid, I don't take too much notice of the advice as they are always changing their minds anyway! Just use a bit of common sense.
LOL nosnikrap,btw!

[Janus]

I think we all make our own choices and no-one should have a go at anyone for eating/drinking the odd thing 'they are not meant to', but obviously no downing a bottle of vodka a night! I haven't eaten pate but 4 days ago I had a chinese and actually ate satay chicken - PEANUTS, EEK! I have been fighting the craving for weeks and gave in, there, done, naughty!

[LoveAndSqualor]

peanutbutterkid, nettiehay, I'm absolutely with you.

colditz: "I do not become a child simply because I am carrying one." - thank you for summing up the one aspect of pregnancy that has comprehensively Done My Head In since I first found out I was up duff (at about seven weeks, btw, so was merrrily quaffing and stuffing myself with liver and even having the occasional cigarette up until then). I am an adult woman who is perfectly capable of reading research, assessing risk and making informed choices without being patronised/dictated to by the health service/society in general

A quick digression: if one more health professional refers to my unborn child as "baby" I will not be responsible for my actions. What's with the cutesyness? It's THE baby or YOUR baby. I'm not a baby; stop talking to me as if I were.

Oof. That feels better.

[MassiveMollyfloss]

I agree that it is the mother's choice but I know what I would do and I know what I would say if asked for an opinion which is the situation here. The older generation of course say to take today's advice with a pinch of salt but it is true also that in previous generations there were more birth defects. So maybe they ate & drank all the things we are advised not to today and their kids were fine because the risks are TINY. There was a tiny proportion of kids however who were not ok. I do know someone who was ate meat undercooked and was unlucky and got toxoplasmosis and now the child is blind... Anyway, it's just an example and that's what research is telling us today - that there is a risk ( a very small one) and with that knowledge it's ultimately up to you to make a decision.

I on the other hand am sick of women who drank during their own pregnancies constantly telling me it's ok to drink, go on have a drink. I don't want to (well I do really because I LOVE wine!) but feel they are pushing it on me to justify their own past choices. It's simple - we all pretty much know the results of the research out there and it's everybody's own personal decision on how to act on it.

[mrsshackleton]

I think with anything bought from a major supermarket the risks of listeria are incredibly low, you'd sue their butts off otherwise,
Having said that I certainly didn't buy any pate during two pgs, did buy pasteurised soft cheeses though. After dd2s birth I filled the fridge with pate, stilton etc and the first time I ate pate we all got vile food poisoning (was from major supermarket but possibly it had been in the fridge too long) which wasn't much fun esp with newborn in the house. Don't think it would have hurt the unborn chid but it would have certainly not been ideal to be puking that much during pg.
But if you've ripped open a brand new packet/tin then go for it and please enjoy and don't feel guilty afterwards! The risk posed is very, very small

[nettiehay]

I'm with you peanutbutterkid - we are also human beings so should be allowed to make our own choices and live with the consequences. I must admit, most of the older generation have said take all advice with a pinch of salt, and then do what you want anyway - it's people of my generation (especially those with no children) who are particularly picky about what I should/shouldn't be eating.

[peanutbutterkid]

I sometimes take the "unnecessary risks" in pregnancy sometimes, like drinking bits of alcohol or eating brie if I feel like it, because I JOLLY WELL AM NOT just an incubator, and attempting to live like one would seriously undermine my mental health.
Not saying what other people should choose, but don't like the hint of being labeled bad mum for taking tiny but judged by others as "unnecessary" risks.

Personally I hate pate, mind, the mere thought of eating it makes me want to worship the porcelin throne.