Is it safe to eat deli meats when I'm pregnant?

I always give my patients a brochure from the Food and Drug Administration that warns them not to eat hot dogs, lunch meats, or deli meats unless they're thoroughly cooked or reheated. It also says not to eat unpasteurized soft cheeses or refrigerated paté or meat spreads. (Hard cheeses, canned meat spreads, and tinned patés are all right.) You need to avoid these foods because they may contain bacteria called listeria that can make you sick. When you're not pregnant, this illness isn't such a big deal. But listeriosis is one of the few infections — including toxoplasmosis, rubella, and cytomegalovirus — that can cross the placenta and actually infect the baby. It can cause birth defects, premature labor, or even miscarriage. The vast majority of deli foods are not contaminated, but they aren't always handled properly. When you walk into your local grocery, do you really know that the Brie has always been kept at 40 degrees, as it should be? Since you don't, I advise playing it safe. Read More