Is it safe to eat deli meat during pregnancy?

Deli meat is a lunchtime classic, but during pregnancy, you might wonder if this staple sandwich ingredient is one you’d rather avoid. 
The deadly listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head products manufactured in a plant in Jarratt, Virginia, has ignited concerns over the safety risks of eating sliced deli meat. Since late July, 59 hospitalizations and 10 deaths have been reported in connection with the outbreak, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention and Control.
There are risks involved with consuming unheated deli meat during pregnancy, per the CDC.
Is it ever safe to eat deli meat during pregnancy? Here’s what the experts have to say.
One of the most serious risks of eating unheated deli meat during pregnancy is the possibility of developing listeriosis, an infection caused by the bacterium listeria monocytogenes, says Dr. Carolyn Cokes, MD, MPH, a board certified OB/GYN with the Metropolitan OB/GYN group.
Listeriosis is typically transmitted as a foodborne illness, although fetal and neonatal infections of listeriosis are typically passed during pregnancy, per the CDC. 
During pregnancy, the body’s immune system is naturally suppressed as “a mechanism for the body to prevent the body from rejecting the fetus,” says Liz Weinandy, MPH, RDN, LD, a registered dietitian nutritionist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Consequently, pregnant people are more vulnerable to developing infections such as listeriosis. 
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, pregnant people are 10 times more likely to develop listeriosis in comparison to the general population.
With that being said, the odds of developing pregnancy-associated listeriosis are still exceptionally low, Cokes says. According to a 2012 study that measured incidences of listeriosis, pregnancy-associated listeriosis was recorded in 2.27 per 100 thousand of non-Hispanic patients, and 8.9 per 100 thousand in Hispanic patients.
Deli meat and cold cuts are deemed safe for pregnant people to eat once the meat has been heated to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the meat is steaming hot, per the CDC. 
People “who are pregnant should definitely take the steps to make sure that they’re being safe [if] they eat these meats,” says Weinandy.
Weinandy recommends heating the meat up in the oven, microwave or boiling water. “It should be steaming, because the bacteria is easily killed with heat,” she says. 
Listeriosis in pregnant people may present similar overlapping symptoms to other flu-like illnesses, Cokes says. Common symptoms linked to listeriosis in pregnant people include fever, muscle aches and tiredness, according to the CDC. 
Reach out to your doctor at the onset of symptoms, Cokes emphasizes. In the event that an infection is listeriosis, “there are things we can do to improve outcomes,” Cokes says. 
More:Can you actually get pregnant during your period? What an OB/GYN needs you to know.
Listeriosis during pregnancy may result in severe health complications, such as miscarriage, preterm labor or stillbirth. To a newborn, listeriosis may lead to serious illness or death, per ACOG. 
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