Is cantaloupe safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about cantaloupe during pregnancy?

1. Listeria outbreaks have been found on fruits including cantaloupes and peaches, and pregnant people are among the groups most at risk of being affected. 1
2. Listeriosis in pregnancy can raise the chance of miscarriage, infection in the uterus, preterm delivery before week 37, low birth weight, and in severe cases stillbirth. 1
3. FDA names cantaloupe specifically when it advises rinsing raw produce under running water, because bacteria can be found on the outer rind of fruit that has to be peeled or cut. 2
4. A small vegetable brush is FDA's suggested added precaution for surface dirt, and damaged or bruised areas are worth cutting away because bacteria thrive in them. 2
5. Produce can pick up contamination after harvest during storage or preparation, so pre-cut, bagged, or packaged fruit should only be bought when refrigerated or surrounded by ice. 3

Is cantaloupe safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Nothing about early pregnancy makes cantaloupe riskier, but this is the trimester to build the habit. Whole melon, scrubbed rind, cut at home. Once that is automatic you stop having to think about it for the next eight months.
• Second trimester. This is when hospital cafeterias, work fruit trays, and shower buffets start showing up in your week. Pre-cut melon left at room temperature is the version of this fruit worth declining. Cut it yourself and it stops being a question.
• Third trimester. Listeria takes weeks to cause symptoms, so an illness late in pregnancy may trace back to something eaten well before. Keep the fridge at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, eat cut melon within a day or two, and report any unexplained fever rather than waiting it out.