Can You Eat Prosciutto While Pregnant?

An overflowing charcuterie board, a delectable melon and prosciutto appetizer, or yummy prosciutto-wrapped asparagus — there are countless ways to enjoy a little prosciutt’, which is why you’ll see it on every meat and cheese board at a party, and littering the menus at your favorite bistros. But can you eat prosciutto while pregnant? Because the hungry foodie parents-to-be need to know whether they have to pass over their favorite cured meat for the next nine months (along with the brie, and the eggnog, and... well, you get it).

Can you eat prosciutto while pregnant?

No, you can’t eat prosciutto while pregnant — at least not the raw kind. The way they’re prepared doesn’t guarantee they’ll be free of infection-causing bacteria, like Brucella (which can lead to brucellosis) and Toxoplasma gondii (which causes toxoplasmosis). The latter is the main concern for Dr. Jill Rabin, M.D., OB-GYN at Northwell Health and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.

“Prosciutto is not cooked meat. The charcuterie meats in general are made palatable and available for human consumption by either fermenting or by curing, and that doesn’t actually cook the meat. So the cured meats can have bacteria as well [that cause] toxoplasmosis, which can cause brain calcifications and brain damage in the baby. I’ve had some pretty good prosciutto in my day, but nothing that’s worth infecting my child,” says Rabin.

Pregnant women are especially vulnerable to infections and food-borne illnesses because their immune systems are suppressed during pregnancy, says Natalie Carroll, M.S., RDN, women’s health dietitian and lactation counselor at Top Nutrition Coaching. She says, as with deli meats and many soft cheeses, eating prosciutto also carries a risk of contracting listeria.

Can you eat cooked prosciutto during pregnancy?

Yes: if you cook it first, prosciutto should be totally safe to eat. “Prosciutto is not a cooked meat, so it’s not considered safe to eat during pregnancy unless it’s cooked to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit,” says Jen Graham, M.S., RDN, registered dietitian at Top Nutrition Coaching. “Once cooked, it shouldn’t be left unrefrigerated for more than two hours.”

“With prosciutto, or any deli meat, heating it until steaming will make it safe for consumption when pregnant,” says Carroll. “Try topping pizza prior to cooking with prosciutto, or wrap asparagus with the thinly sliced meat before baking in a hot oven. You can also pan fry or bake in the oven until crisp to crumble over pasta dishes or salads.”

Unlike brie or eggs, which you can sometimes find pasteurized, safer versions of in the grocery store, prosciutto is not something you can purchase and safely eat raw. “Nobody’s going to go curing their own meat, so you’re probably going to be buying your prosciutto. Even if you buy it in a very high-end store, it’s not cooked. So, we don’t recommend undercooked or cured meat in pregnancy at all,” Rabin says.

So, for now, skip the meat on the charcuterie board and pass on the melon and prosciutto appetizers (even though it pains you).

Experts:

Dr. Jill Rabin, M.D., OB-GYN at Northwell Health and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Natalie Carroll, M.S., RDN, women’s health dietitian and lactation counselor at Top Nutrition Coaching

Jen Graham, M.S., RDN, registered dietitian at Top Nutrition Coaching