Can you eat duck when pregnant?
Charlotte Thomas
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Find out if it's safe to eat duck during pregnancy, plus precautions to take to keep you and your baby healthy.
The official advice on eating duck in pregnancy
Yes, duck is safe to eat when pregnant, with the exception of wild duck. However you should always make sure it's thoroughly cooked.
This is because the NHS says that all meat should be well cooked with no trace of pink or blood when you're pregnant. You should be particularly careful with poultry, like duck.
If you eat raw or undercooked meat there's a small risk of getting toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is an infection caused by a parasite that lives in raw meat, soil and cat poo, and can cause miscarriage and complications in pregnancy.
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Wild duck
Wild duck is duck that has been shot when hunting. The NHS advises against eating game birds as they may contain lead shot, which can be harmful to your unborn baby.
Takeaway crispy duck pancakes
If you want to enjoy a takeaway while you're pregnant, make sure you choose a restaurant with good hygiene standards. Many takeaways in the UK have a Food Standards Agency certificate – a food hygiene rating of 4 or 5 means that the standards were good or very good at the last inspection.
If you order crispy duck from a takeaway, make sure it's fully cooked before you eat it. And remember that food from takeaways can be very high in fat, sugar and salt.
If in doubt, you could always make it yourself instead – just check out our recipe below.
Delicious duck recipes
Love duck? Why not try one of these great pregnancy-safe recipes? Just ensure the meat is well cooked with no trace of pink.
- Mini rosti with duck and crispy shallots
- Crispy duck pancakes (replace the rice wine with rice vinegar)
- Duck a l'orange (use alcohol-free wine)
Looking for more pregnancy diet info? Check out our articles below, or swap tips with other mums-to-be in our forum.
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