Is bacon safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about bacon during pregnancy?

1. Pork, including bacon, needs to reach at least 145°F inside to kill the bacteria and parasites that cause foodborne illness. 1
2. Cook meat until it's no longer pink and the juices run clear to avoid toxoplasmosis, a parasite infection linked to birth defects and developmental problems in the baby. 2
3. Heating meat, bacon included, until it's hot all the way through is the same guidance used to lower the risk of Listeria, a bacterial infection linked to miscarriage, stillbirth, and preterm labor. 3
4. Pregnancy guidelines don't call for strict sodium limits just to guard against high blood pressure, so ordinary bacon in your diet isn't something to stress over, though a consistently very salty diet overall is still worth watching. 4
5. Some research has linked frequent nitrite-salt-aged meats intake during pregnancy with a higher rate of childhood brain tumors, which is part of why nutrition guidance favors keeping bacon and other salt-aged meats to a moderate amount rather than an everyday habit. 5

Is bacon safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Morning sickness can make greasy bacon smell wonderful or awful, and either reaction is normal. However you feel about it, cook any bacon you do eat until it's hot and crisp all the way through.
• Second trimester. Appetite often picks back up now, and bacon is a common craving. It's fine to enjoy regularly, just try not to let it become a daily habit because of the sodium.
• Third trimester. Your provider is likely checking your blood pressure more closely at this stage, which is a good nudge to watch your overall salt intake. Bacon itself is still fine to enjoy as long as it's cooked all the way through.