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Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Rare steak in pregnancy????

36 replies

greenbeanie · 17/05/2010 16:07

I have just read the new edition of the NHS pregnancy book which states that as long as the outside of meat is properly cooked it is ok to have things like steak rare. It says that it has to be a whole piece of meat - rather than mince in burgers for example. I am pregnant with dc3 and have always avoided this in the past but if it is ok would love to try.

Has anyone else heard this information before?

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LuluF · 17/05/2010 16:29

No. I've always understood that you don't have undercooked meat at all. I know things change - but not aware that that has. Which is a shame, because it's the one thing I want when I'm pregnant - that and runny yoked poached eggs

rubyslippers · 17/05/2010 16:31

i ate blue steak whilst pregnant

and runny eggs both times

I think it is due to the risk of food poisoning which can potentially dehydrate you (and in serious cases affect the baby)

eggs AFAIK are salmonella free

up to you really - if it will stress you out then don't

BunnyLebowski · 17/05/2010 16:32

If it's good quality, fresh meat then go for it.

Use your common sense rather than a list of rules from the nanny state.

I couldn't have got through my pregnancy without rare rib-eye steak.

And runny eggs and soft cheese.

Original poster
greenbeanie · 17/05/2010 17:39

Thanks bunny, I have a rib-eye steak from our local butcher sat in the fridge as we speak!!

OP posts:
tablefor3 · 17/05/2010 17:41

I ate/eat rare-ish steak in my pregnancies, provided that it came from a reputable source and I trusted who was cooking it. As I understand it, the concern is food poisoning which can affect you and the baby rather than something specific about the meat itself. So, if you feel confident that you are not going to be poisoned, then go ahead.

Obviously, more than happy to be corrected by anyone who knows more than me.

sayanything · 17/05/2010 17:51

The concern is toxoplasmosis, which can be very dangerous to the foetus. I've been tested, so I know I'm not immune and had to forego rare meat during my pregnancy.

First thing I'm having once sprog is out is a steak - blue.

LuluF · 17/05/2010 18:14

Yep - just went and read the leaflets I got from GP. Definitely says no to undercooked meat of any kind, but the rare steak will be, as sayanything rightly says, a potential source of toxoplasmosis. Most people have been exposed to this at somepoint, though.

Octaviapink · 17/05/2010 18:32

I ate/am eating rare or raw meat, cured meat, blue cheese, runny eggs and pate. But then I always have done - MW said I'm pretty much certain to be immune to listeria and so on. Up to you!

Emster30 · 17/05/2010 18:34

I also read that in the NHS book and I have had the odd rare steak, but not for a while. It seems odd that the advice is different there to everywhere else!

Librashavinganotherbiscuit · 17/05/2010 18:46

Octavia as much as I am loath to call bollocks I am pretty sure what your MW said about listeria is wrong, people can't be "immune" to listeria. You can be immune to toxoplasmosis if you have already had it.

DilysPrice · 17/05/2010 18:58

The risk of rare steak is toxoplasmosis rather than conventional food poisoning. Many people (especially if they've ever lived with cats) are immune to toxoplasmosis as I understand it (though when I asked my midwife if I could get a test before pregnancy and eat my beloved rare steaks if it came back positive she said "it doesn't work like that" - I don't think I believe her though).

The risks are pretty small, but the consequences are so scary (brain and eye damage to baby without mum showing any symptoms) that I personally decided it wasn't a risk worth taking.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/toxoplasmosis/Pages/Introduction.aspx

LuluF · 17/05/2010 19:33

I agree, DylisPrice, most of the info says that the risk is tiny as we've most likely had the virus already. Still, I'm too chicken myself to risk it.

CardiCorgi · 18/05/2010 08:55

DilysPrice your midwife's response seems funny - my doctor testing me for precisely that reason - if I had already had toxoplasmosis then she would have given me the go-ahead to eat what I wanted (regarding rare meats etc.). As it is, I'm not immune and she warned my that I should have no red meats, uncooked cured meats or unpasturised milk products.

emsyj · 18/05/2010 10:22

Oh dear, I had a virtually raw steak on Friday night (at a very nice restaurant, so good quality etc and I feel well). Had no idea you are not supposed to eat rare meat when pregnant. But we do have 2 cats so possibly immune to toxoplasmosis anyway???

LuluF · 18/05/2010 10:35

emsyj - it's pretty likely that you are already immune/have been exposed to it.

CardiCorgi · 18/05/2010 14:59

Sorry about my typing, that was meant to read rare meats, not red.

MadameCheese · 18/05/2010 15:15

I'm staying out of this one, the info is conflicting, grrr!

nappyaddict · 18/05/2010 15:30

greenbeanie What does it say about eggs/unpasteurised cheese/pate etc?

nappyaddict · 18/05/2010 15:30

Oh and soft ice cream.

vicbar · 18/05/2010 16:44

Nappyaddict - you can have soft ice cream as long as its pasteurised which as ice cream vans buy ready mixed stuff it usually is.

I had a lovely very rare steak yesterday, I think its ok as long as its fresh meat. With each of my pregnancies Ive eaten more shell fish and scallops but tend to cook them at home so I know they are fresh and cooked properly.
Just think what our mums ate when they were expecting us, We're alright arent we

LuluF · 18/05/2010 18:31

Vicbar - I had always understood that you couldn't have mr whippy type ice cream from ice cream vans because of the listeria risk...

nappyaddict - it's a no to unpasteurised soft cheese, or blue cheese or brie type. But you can have hard cheese if it's unpasteurised if (wait for it) it's imported! so gruyere and parmesan is fine.

It's crackers. I forget how much of a pain this is.

emsyj · 18/05/2010 20:08

I've had a mr whippy too!!!!!!! I don't really like mr whippy but on the day the van stopped outside my friend's house, I just had a fancy for a quick fix of sugar and so I had one with all the dirty sprinkles and sauces etc.

Have also had runny eggs...

I am very bad.

LuluF · 18/05/2010 21:06

You know what? I had a funny moment once with my first pregnancy - I ate gruyere and then realised it was made with unpasteurised milk and I made myself sick. I even phoned NHS direct (I know, you don't have to say it). Anyway, I mentioned it to my MW - and all she said was, 'Were you ill?' and 'Did you enjoy it?'.

I think it's just about being aware but not giving yourself a hard time if you do discover you've eaten something on a list (which is constantly changing). Nine months is a long time.

nappyaddict · 19/05/2010 16:21

I understood you only had to avoid homemade
mayonnaise, ice-cream, cheesecake or mousse if it contains raw or undercooked eggs.

Presumably shop bought mayonnaise, ice-cream, whippy ice-cream, cheesecake or mousse does not contain raw or undercooked eggs?

LuluF · 19/05/2010 16:53

I don't think there's an issue with Mr Whippy other than how it's stored/chilled on a van. That's where the listeria risk comes in, not the ingredients.

I think most shop bought sauces are pasteurised withing an inch of their lives.

And then there's salad...