Can you drink McDonald's milkshakes when pregnant?

Find out if it's safe to drink McDonald's milkshakes during pregnancy, plus precautions to take to keep you and your baby healthy.

The official advice on McDonald's milkshakes in pregnancy

Good news, McDonald's milkshakes are probably safe to drink in pregnancy. However, if you're concerned, you may want to check with your midwife.

NHS Wales says that soft ice cream is safe to eat in pregnancy, provided it's made with pasteurised milk and eggs. All McDonald's dairy products are pasteurised, so it should be fine for you to guzzle a Macca's milkshake.

You may have heard some people claiming that McDonald's milkshakes aren't safe because the machines aren't clean enough. We reached out to McDonald's for comment, and a spokesperson said:

'Hygiene and cleanliness is our utmost priority. Our milkshake machines go through a pasteurisation cycle every day, and all equipment and surfaces are cleaned regularly.'

You can also look for the Food Standards Agency sticker in the window of your local McDonald's. A food hygiene rating of four or five means they had high levels of cleanliness at the last inspection, and may help to reassure you.

McDonald's advises all pregnant women to discuss their diet with their GP or midwife.

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We like The Whole 9 Months, a week-by-week pregnancy nutrition guide, packed full of recipes and medical advice. See more details here at Amazon.

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