Can you eat Parma ham when pregnant?

Find out if it's safe to eat Parma ham, prosciutto and cooked Parma ham during pregnancy, plus precautions to take to keep you and your baby healthy.

The official advice on eating Parma ham, cooked Parma ham and prosciutto in pregnancy

The NHS doesn't say you should avoid eating Parma ham completely when pregnant, but it does advise being cautious, unless it's been thoroughly cooked.

This is because Parma ham is a type of prosciutto, a cold cured meat. Cold cured meats aren't cooked, so may contain the parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, an infection which can cause miscarriage.

Cooking kills off the bacteria though, so it's fine to have cooked Parma ham. Although be careful if you're ordering it on a pizza as it's sometimes placed on top in its uncooked form just before serving.

According to NHS Wales, you can also freeze it for four days before eating to kill off any parasites.

Delicious cured meat recipes

Love cured meat? Why not try one of these great pregnancy-safe recipes?

• Feta, Parma ham and tomato crustless quiche (make sure you use British Lion eggs)
• Chorizo hotpot
• Chicken and chorizo stew
• Cheese and Parma ham straws

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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