Salami and Parma Ham

[rachelb]

Whats the deal with eating Salami and Parma Ham?!?!
Hubby has bought loads for a start tonighy.
Have heard from previous pregnancy and looked it up just now...seems to an odd grey area. Nhs says not to but another websitw babycentre says that the chances of getting food poisoning is minimal.

 

[DeeDeeAbi]

I ate Parma ham throughout my last pregnancy, and have done in this pregnancy too. Think go with your gut! X

 

[Rose83]

The risk with cold meats is that they are cured not cooked so there is a chance they can contain toxoplasmosis which is the same parasite you find in cat poop and why you are always taught that children shouldn't touch cat poop. The parasite can cause harm to your unborn child. It is apparently very rare in pregnancy to catch it but then that may be because people are more careful about what they eat. It's one of those things where you are just going to decide if you want to take the (small) risk) x

 

[MissCharli]

I have been eating ham etc all the way through, I haven't had rare steaks (boo) but to me the risk from cured meats was a lot lower imo. I have tried to be sensible with the things that I am eating risk wise, but there's so many things to avoid (apparently even some cheesecakes?!) that I'm just trying not to stress about it.

Not having sushi, steak, pate or alcohol is enough for me

 

[MrsDuckie]

I'm personally not eating cured meats but know friends that did throughout their pregnancies. Like everyone said, it's how you feel with it I think.

 

[ladybugs90]

This risk is if you get food poisoning, to be honest, I have never had food poisoning from these. Throughout my whole pregnancy I've eaten packet parma ham and salami sandwiches from subway. I wouldn't recommend eating parma ham that is cure on a leg that has been left out for ages. Any packet stuff will be fine.

The choice is yours, but I've had no problems and my baby is healthy

 

[Rose83]

No it's definitely to do with the risk of toxoplasmosis and the effects on the foetus are not seen until after birth (which can be premature if toxoplasmosis was passed on) and sometimes symptoms of damage from having it could not be picked up for months or years after birth. But as I said above the risk is apparently minimal but there is still some risk which is why the NHS don't recommend you eat these things in pregnancy x

 

[Rose83]

For info (Parma specifically named):

https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-in...ions-avoid-pregnancy/toxoplasmosis-pregnancy#

 

[ladybugs90]

No it's definitely to do with the risk of toxoplasmosis and the effects on the foetus are not seen until after birth (which can be premature if toxoplasmosis was passed on) and sometimes symptoms of damage from having it could not be picked up for months or years after birth. But as I said above the risk is apparently minimal but there is still some risk which is why the NHS don't recommend you eat these things in pregnancy x

Well said by rose, but you will know if you get the toxoplasmosis because you have symptoms like flu and would feel terrible.

 

[Rose83]

The websites I read about it said that you didn't necessarily know you had it - I couldn't believe they estimate 30-50% of the population have had it and many of them wouldn't know! I suspect it's one of these things where some people get symptoms and some don't or mistake it for something else x

 

[MissCharli]

I also read somewhere that nearly everyone with indoor cats will also have had toxoplasmosis and never known it, I guess that's why I think my risk is pretty low. But it is up to everyone what their acceptable level of risk is I guess.