Is Turkey safe during pregnancy?

Meat & poultry

Safe only when thoroughly cooked

The NHS says turkey is safe when thoroughly cooked; the US CDC and FDA say to cook all poultry to 165°F (74°C).[1,2,3]

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: All poultry, including ground chicken and turkey, cooked to 165°F[2]

US FDA: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)

  • Cook all poultry to minimal safe internal temperature of 165° F (74° C).[3]

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)

Energy115 kcal
Protein22.64 g
Fibre0 g
Sugars0.07 g
Iron0.86 mg
Calcium11 mg
Folate (DFE)7 µg
Folate, total7 µg
Vitamin A (RAE)9 µg
Vitamin C0 mg
Vitamin D0.2 µg
Vitamin B121.24 µg
Choline60.2 mg
DHA (omega-3)0.002 g
EPA (omega-3)0 g
Caffeine0 mg
Sodium118 mg

USDA FoodData Central: Turkey, whole, meat only, raw (FDC ID 171480), 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.

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.