Is Pork safe during pregnancy?

Meat & poultry

Safe only when thoroughly cooked

The NHS says pork is safe when thoroughly cooked; the US CDC and FDA say to cook whole cuts to 145°F and ground pork to 160°F.[1,2,3,4]

What official sources say

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Meat and poultry › Safe to eat: Chicken, pork, lamb, turkey and duck are safe to eat in pregnancy when thoroughly cooked, with no pink or blood left after cooking.[1]

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]
  • Safer Choice: Ground meats, such as beef and pork, cooked to 160°F[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]
  • Cook ground beef, veal, lamb, and pork to at least 160° F (71° C).[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

  • Meat and poultry › Foods to avoid: Raw or undercooked meat is on the list of foods to avoid in pregnancy.[1]
  • 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)

Energy263 kcal
Protein16.88 g
Fibre0 g
Iron0.88 mg
Calcium14 mg
Folate (DFE)5 µg
Folate, total5 µg
Vitamin A (RAE)2 µg
Vitamin C0.7 mg
Vitamin B120.7 µg
Sodium56 mg

USDA FoodData Central: Pork, fresh, ground, raw (FDC ID 167902), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.

Sources

  1. 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.
  2. US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  3. US FDA: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  4. 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.