Is stuffing cooked inside the turkey safe during pregnancy

What does the evidence say about stuffing cooked inside the turkey during pregnancy?

1. Foods linked to a higher Listeria risk include uncooked meat and fish, unpasteurized dairy, and deli meat, and the recommended kitchen practice is to keep uncooked meats separated from cooked foods, including using separate cutting boards, to avoid cross-contamination. 1
2. Listeria symptoms, including fever, muscle aches, and sometimes diarrhea, can start days to weeks after eating contaminated food, and a Listeria infection during pregnancy has been linked to a higher chance of infection in the uterus, preterm delivery before week 37, or low birth weight. 1
3. Poultry needs to reach an internal temperature of 165°F to be considered safely cooked, the same benchmark that applies to a whole turkey and to anything, like stuffing, that absorbs its juices during roasting. 2
4. Salmonella symptoms, including diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramping, typically start 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food and can last 4 to 7 days, and fully cooking meat and eggs is the main way to lower the risk. 3
5. An E. coli infection from undercooked meat hasn't been shown to raise the chance of birth defects, but a resulting uterine or vaginal infection can raise the chance of preterm delivery or low birth weight, which is why cooking poultry and its drippings fully matters in pregnancy specifically. 4

Is stuffing cooked inside the turkey safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Food-safety basics like this apply throughout pregnancy, including the first trimester, so the main thing to carry forward is keeping raw poultry juices away from anything that's ready to eat.
• Second trimester. The same cooking-temperature guidance holds through the second trimester. If you're hosting a holiday meal, using a food thermometer takes the guesswork out of it for you and your guests.
• Third trimester. Dehydration from vomiting or diarrhea is worth taking seriously this trimester, so call your provider if you can't keep fluids down after a holiday meal, on top of using a thermometer on the turkey and stuffing themselves.