Can you eat venison when pregnant?
Hannah Weiss
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Find out if it's safe to eat venison during pregnancy, plus precautions to take to keep you and your baby healthy.
The official advice on eating venison in pregnancy
Good news! Venison bought from the supermarket is usually safe to eat when you're pregnant, providing you ensure the meat is well cooked. However, it's best to avoid venison that's been shot with lead pellets.
Wild venison
The NHS advises that it's best to avoid eating any game that's been shot with lead pellets while you're pregnant. This is because they can contain high levels of lead, which isn't safe for your developing baby, and can increase the risk of miscarriage.
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If you're not sure whether the venison you're buying contains lead, ask at the shop or restaurant.
Pink venison
Whether you're enjoying venison steak, venison burgers or a roast venison joint, the NHS says that all meat, including venison, must be well cooked while you're pregnant. If you eat venison during pregnancy, always ensure there is no trace of pink or blood.
If you eat raw or undercooked meat, there is a small risk of getting toxoplasmosis. This is an infection caused by a parasite that lives in raw meat, soil and cat poo. Toxoplasmosis could cause miscarriage and lead to complications in pregnancy.
Venison liver
The NHS advises against eating venison liver or any foods containing liver while you're pregnant. This is because liver contains high levels of vitamin A, which could harm your unborn baby.
Delicious meat recipes
Love meat? Why not try one of these great pregnancy-safe recipes? Just ensure the meat is well cooked with no trace of pink.
The Day-by-Day Pregnancy Book: Count Down Your Pregnancy Day by Day by Dr Maggie Blott is packed full of advice from a team of experts to help guide you through your pregnancy from conception to birth. See more details here at Amazon.
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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