Is Eggs (well-cooked) safe during pregnancy?

Eggs

Safe when well cooked

The US FDA and CDC say to cook eggs until yolks and whites are firm; the NHS says hen eggs without the British Lion mark should only be eaten well cooked.[1,2,3,4,5]

What official sources say

US FDA: Dairy and Eggs (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)

  • Cook eggs thoroughly until the yolks and whites are firm.[1]

US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women

  • Safer Choice: Eggs cooked until the yolks and whites are firm[2]

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Eggs › Safe to eat: Hen eggs that are not British Lion eggs, or not produced under the Laid in Britain scheme, should only be eaten well cooked.[3]

FSANZ: Food safety for vulnerable people

  • Safer alternatives: Pasteurised eggs, cooked omelettes, hard boiled eggs, commercial custard and dressings e.g. mayonnaise, aioli (advice for vulnerable people, including pregnant women)[4]

ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024

  • Vitamin B12 can come from yoghurt or curd, eggs and flesh foods, and fatty fish is a good source of long-chain omega-3 fats. (p. 13)[5]
  • Beans, dry fruits, eggs and flesh foods are good sources of iron. (p. 15)[5]

Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)

Energy143 kcal
Protein12.56 g
Fibre0 g
Sugars0.37 g
Iron1.75 mg
Calcium56 mg
Folate (DFE)47 µg
Folate, total47 µg
Vitamin A (RAE)160 µg
Vitamin C0 mg
Vitamin D2 µg
Vitamin B120.89 µg
Choline293.8 mg
DHA (omega-3)0.058 g
EPA (omega-3)0 g
Caffeine0 mg
Sodium142 mg

USDA FoodData Central: Egg, whole, raw, fresh (FDC ID 171287), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.

Sources

  1. US FDA: Dairy and Eggs (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  2. US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  3. 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.
  4. FSANZ: Food safety for vulnerable people · foodstandards.gov.au. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand, licensed under CC BY 4.0; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  5. ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 · nin.res.in. Printed pages 13, 15. Paraphrased and cited by printed page; the text is not reproduced.

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.