Can You Eat Eggs While Pregnant? | BabyCenter

Between sushi and cold cuts, eggs might not be high on your pregnancy food safety radar – but they deserve a spot. When they're fully cooked, eggs are a quick, protein-packed win. But undercooked? They can carry real risks. Let's break down what's safe (and what's not).

Key Takeaways

• Eggs are safe to eat as long as they're fully cooked.
• Runny or undercooked eggs carry Salmonella bacteria, which can make you very sick.
• Avoid poached eggs, soft-boiled eggs, and eggs cooked over easy or medium. If you're eating out and not sure if a dish or dressing has raw eggs, ask your server.

Is it safe to eat eggs while pregnant?

The short answer is yes, but make sure they're fully cooked or pasteurized.

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Raw or undercooked eggs can carry disease-causing organisms like Salmonella bacteria, which can cause food poisoning. Because pregnancy temporarily weakens the immune system, pregnant women are particularly vulnerable to foodborne illness.

If you get sick from Salmonella, you're likely to have a high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. In serious cases, these symptoms could be severe enough to cause preterm labor or – in very rare cases – even miscarriage.

Pasteurization and cooking destroy Salmonella bacteria. That's why it's important to only eat thoroughly cooked or pasteurized eggs during pregnancy to make sure any bacteria has been killed.

You'll also want to avoid:

• Dishes that have raw or undercooked eggs (unless those eggs are pasteurized), including when you eat out, since it's hard to verify whether the restaurant you're at uses pasturized eggs.
• Deli foods made with eggs, such as deviled eggs and egg salad, unless you're positive that the food has been prepared safely (thoroughly cooked, for example) and has been sitting out for less than two hours (or one hour on a very warm day). It's safest to make these foods at home instead, so you know the eggs were cooked and handled following proper food safety measures.

Not sure what's off the menu? The BabyCenter appOpens a new window has an "Is it safe?" tool that gives you fast, trustworthy answers on everything from eggs to energy drinks. No more second-guessing at the fridge.

Can I eat runny eggs while pregnant?

Unfortunately for you benedict lovers, the answer is no. In order to destroy any bacteria, eggs need to be cooked until the yolks and whites are firm.

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During pregnancy, don't eat or taste:

• Poached eggs
• Soft-boiled eggs
• Eggs over easy
• Eggs over medium

Also avoid foods made with raw or runny eggs including:

• Homemade or fresh-made dressings and sauces such as mayonnaise, hollandaise sauce, aioli sauce, béarnaise sauce, and Caesar salad dressing.
• Homemade ice cream
• Mousse
• Meringue
• Tiramisu
• Raw batter or cookie dough
• Homemade eggnog and other beverages containing eggs that aren't fully cooked

Mayonnaise and similar products sold in stores must be made with pasteurized eggs, so these are safe to eat. Liquid, frozen, and dried "egg products" such as liquid egg whites in a carton (think Egg Beaters), frozen omelets, and powdered eggs are also pasteurized.

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But to be on the safe side, the U.S. Department of AgricultureOpens a new window recommends that pregnant women only eat egg products when they're cooked.

Are hard-boiled eggs safe during pregnancy?

Yes, hard-boiled eggs are safe if they're thoroughly cooked, handled, and stored properly. To ensure your hard-boiled egg is safe to eat:

• Make sure it's cooked until the yolk and white are completely firm. This typically means boiling eggs for at least 12 minutes.
• Store in the refrigerator (in the shell or peeled) at 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and use within a week after cooking.
• Don't let hard-boiled eggs sit out for more than 2 hours (1 hour if the weather is warm).
• Reheat hard-boiled eggs stored in the refrigerator to 165 degrees F before eating.

Benefits of eating eggs during pregnancy

When cooked and handled safely, eggs are an excellent source of nutrition during pregnancy. Eggs contain important nutrients for you and your developing baby, including:

• Protein (the building material for your baby's cells)
• Choline (which supports your baby's brain development and helps prevent neural tube defects)
• B vitamins such as biotin, aka vitamin B7 (these help boost your energy during pregnancy, and are needed for your baby's healthy growth).
• Vitamin A (important for formation of many of your baby's organs including the heart, lungs, eyes, and bones)
• Vitamin D (good for your immune system, supporting your baby's bone development, and preventing pregnancy and birth complications such as preeclampsia).

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How to prepare eggs safely during pregnancy

Can't live without eggs? Hard relate. Here are some egg cooking safety tips:

• Cook scrambled eggs until they're completely firm (no moisture or sliminess).
• Cook fried eggs for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or 4 minutes total in a covered pan. Make sure the yolks and whites are firm.
• Practice safe food handling and storage, and eat leftovers as soon as possible.
• Cook any dish made with eggs (such as a quiche or soufflé) to 160 degrees F and reheat any previously cooked dish to that temperature shortly before you eat it. If you don't have a thermometer, make sure the food is steaming.
• Use pasteurized eggs if you're preparing undercooked eggs or dishes that contain raw eggs (such as eggnog, ice cream, custard, or Caesar salad dressing), or if you want to sample cookie dough or cake batter before you cook it.

Never bought pasteurized eggs before? In-shell pasteurized eggs look like regular eggs in a carton, but will be labeled as pasteurized. Non-pasteurized eggs usually feature "safe handling instructions" on the carton instead. These instructions say that you should keep eggs refrigerated, cook them until the yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly.

Read more:

• Read about the 12 best foods for pregnancy. (Eggs lead the list!)
• Learn which foods and beverages to avoid during pregnancy.

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