Is watermelon safe during pregnancy?

What does the evidence say about watermelon during pregnancy?

1. Rinsing fruit under running water matters most for melons, since bacteria can be found on the outer rind or peel of anything that has to be peeled or cut. 1
2. Soap, detergents, and bleach solutions are not for washing produce, and a small vegetable brush is enough to lift surface dirt from a firm rind. 1
3. Pre-cut produce such as half a watermelon should only be bought when it is refrigerated or surrounded by ice, and perishable produce keeps best at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below. 2
4. Listeria in pregnancy can raise the chance of miscarriage, infection in the uterus, preterm delivery, low birth weight, and stillbirth, and outbreaks have been traced to fruit. 3
5. Washing all fruits and vegetables lowers the chance of toxoplasmosis, and peeling lowers it further, which matters because most infected adults never notice a symptom. 4

Is watermelon safe in each trimester?

• First trimester. Watermelon is mostly water, which makes it one of the easier things to keep down when nausea is running the show. Cold cubes often sit better than warm food. Buy whole melons rather than pre-cut trays, so you control how long it sat out and who handled it.
• Second trimester. Appetite usually returns here and melon becomes a real snack instead of a survival food. Keep the handling habit anyway. FDA singles out melons when it advises rinsing produce, because the blade is what moves bacteria from the outer rind into the part you eat.
• Third trimester. Swelling and leg cramps make watery foods appealing late on. Cut melon does not keep. Store it at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, and pass on any tray that has been sitting out at a shower, a party, or a buffet, however good it looks.