Is apple cider vinegar safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about apple cider vinegar during pregnancy?

1. Unpasteurized juices do not go through a step that eliminates pathogens, and outbreaks tied to unpasteurized apple cider and juice have involved E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, with Listeria a meaningful risk for vulnerable groups. 1
2. Vinegar taken with a meal significantly slowed stomach emptying, dropping the median gastric emptying rate from 27% to 17% in people who already had delayed emptying. 2
3. The glucose research comes from adults with type 2 diabetes taking 13.75 to 30 mL a day for 4 to 12 weeks, with moderate certainty for fasting glucose and low certainty for HbA1c, and no pregnant participants. 3
4. Vinegar-based products measured at pH 3.12 to 4.07 in laboratory testing, and pure balsamic vinegar dressings caused significantly more enamel wear than orange juice. 4
5. Apple cider vinegar capsules and gummies fall under dietary supplement rules, and the FDA is not authorized to review those products for safety and effectiveness before they are marketed. 5

Is apple cider vinegar safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. This is when foodborne illness risk matters most in terms of avoidance habits. Choose pasteurized products, and be aware that raw unfiltered versions have not gone through a step that removes pathogens.
• Second trimester. If you are drinking it for reflux, note that vinegar slowed gastric emptying in the study that measured it, which runs opposite to what usually settles reflux.
• Third trimester. Cooking and dressing use stays a small exposure. Repeated shots of diluted vinegar are the pattern worth raising with your provider, particularly if you are managing blood sugar.