Is papaya safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about papaya during pregnancy?

1. Ripe papaya juice doesn't trigger uterine contractions in lab studies, but concentrated papaya latex does, acting much like the hormones that start labor. 1
2. Papaya latex causes stronger, more frequent uterine contractions as the dose goes up, an effect seen in both pregnant and non-pregnant uterine tissue in the lab. 2
3. Unripe papaya showed the strongest pregnancy-ending effect in animal studies, and that effect faded as the fruit ripened, one reason ripe and unripe papaya get such different safety advice. 3
4. Papaya seed extract relaxes uterine tissue at low concentrations and damages it directly at higher concentrations in animal studies, one more reason papaya seeds are skipped rather than eaten during pregnancy. 4
5. Ripe papaya deserves the same everyday care as any cut fruit: wash your hands and the rind, trim away bruised spots, and keep cut pieces refrigerated instead of sitting out. 5

Is papaya safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Ripe papaya is a normal food choice in the first trimester. This is also when the green-papaya warning gets repeated most often, so choose fully ripe, orange-fleshed fruit and skip green papaya salad or papaya-seed products.
• Second trimester. The same guidance carries into the second trimester. Ripe papaya adds fiber, vitamin C, and folate to your diet, while unripe papaya, its latex, and its seeds are still worth skipping.
• Third trimester. Ripe papaya stays a normal food in the third trimester. Unripe or green papaya and concentrated seed or latex products are still best avoided, and it's fine to mention regular papaya intake to your delivery team if you have questions close to your due date.