It is generally safe to eat soft cheese during pregnancy as long as the cheese is made from pasteurized milk. The key concern with soft cheeses is the risk of listeria infection, which can come from unpasteurized milk cheeses. Listeria can cause serious complications in pregnancy such as miscarriage, stillbirth, or severe illness in newborns. Most commercially sold soft cheeses in the US and many other countries are made from pasteurized milk, reducing this risk. Examples of soft cheeses that are safe to eat when pasteurized include Brie, Camembert, cream cheese, feta, mozzarella, goat cheese, ricotta, and blue-veined cheeses. It is important to check the label to ensure the cheese is pasteurized. Soft cheeses made from unpasteurized milk should be avoided entirely during pregnancy. Also, soft cheeses that are fully cooked (such as in pizza or baked dishes) are generally safe because cooking kills listeria bacteria. In summary:
- Eat soft cheese only if labeled pasteurized.
- Avoid all soft cheeses made with unpasteurized milk.
- Soft cheese that is fully cooked until steaming hot is safe.
- Hard cheeses and processed cheeses are also safe choices during pregnancy.
This advice helps balance enjoying nutritional benefits of cheese with minimizing harmful infection risks for the mother and baby.
