Is Beef / steak (rare steak) safe during pregnancy?
Meat & poultry
Official sources differ
The official sources below do not agree, so each position is shown with who holds it.[1,2,3,4]
- NHS: The NHS food list says whole cuts of beef are safe if thoroughly cooked on the outside; other NHS pregnancy advice says to cook whole cuts until steaming hot all the way through, with no pink meat and no pink or red in the juices. Raw or undercooked meat is to be avoided.
- US CDC / US FDA: Cook whole cuts of beef to at least 145°F (63°C), then rest for 3 minutes.
What official sources say
NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy
US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women
- Safer Choice:
Whole cuts of beef, veal, lamb, and pork cooked to 145°F (then allow the meat to rest for 3 minutes before carving or eating)
[2]
US FDA: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)
Cook beef, pork, veal, and lamb roasts, steaks, and chops to at least 145° F (63° C), with a 3 minute rest time.
[3]
NHS: Have a healthy diet in pregnancy
- Cook poultry, burgers, sausages and whole cuts of meat such as lamb, beef and pork thoroughly, until steaming hot throughout, with no pink meat and no pink or red in the juices.[4]
Related general rules
NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy
- Eating raw, undercooked or cured meat carries a small risk of toxoplasmosis, an infection that can cause miscarriage.[1]
US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women
- Riskier Choice:
Raw or undercooked poultry or meat
[2]
Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)
| Energy | 117 kcal |
| Protein | 23.07 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Sugars | 0 g |
| Iron | 1.85 mg |
| Calcium | 9 mg |
| Folate (DFE) | 13 µg |
| Folate, total | 13 µg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 0 µg |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.27 µg |
| Choline | 65.1 mg |
| DHA (omega-3) | 0 g |
| EPA (omega-3) | 0.002 g |
| Caffeine | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 55 mg |
USDA FoodData Central: Beef, grass-fed, strip steaks, lean only, raw (FDC ID 169429), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.
Sources
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy · nhs.uk. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). Not endorsed by the NHS.
- US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
- US FDA: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
- NHS: Have a healthy diet in pregnancy · nhs.uk. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). Not endorsed by the NHS.
Sources checked 26 September 2026.
Quotes are checked word for word against each source page, and paraphrases against the original text. Official bodies are named as sources only: none of them reviewed or endorses this page.
Educational information, not medical advice. Your own doctor or midwife may advise differently for you — follow their advice.