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Can I drink unpasteurized milk while pregnant?

Avoid Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Unpasteurized (raw) milk shows Avoid in Doola Scan in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland, because each country's pregnancy guidance advises against it. The FDA says not to drink raw milk or eat foods made with unpasteurized milk in pregnancy, and that listeria can be found in it. Pasteurised milk shows No known issues in all six. Cheese made from raw milk is where the countries differ: the UK and Canada accept some of it cooked.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Raw (unpasteurized) milk, from a farm, market or vending machine

    AvoidIn all six countries

  • Pasteurized milk from the shop

    No known issuesIn all six countries
Doola Scan checking a plate
What each country says

Unpasteurized milk while pregnant: what each country says.

Each country's own pregnancy guidance on unpasteurized milk, with a link to it. Doola Scan uses your country's first.

  • United States

    • Raw (unpasteurized) milk, from a farm, market or vending machineAvoid
    • Pasteurized milk from the shopNo known issues
    • FDADo not drink raw milk or eat foods made with unpasteurized milk during pregnancy.Source
    • FoodSafety.gov (HHS)Avoid raw milk; only pasteurised milk and milk products.Source
    • USDA FSISNever drink raw milk.Source
    Cheese made from raw milk
    • FDADo not eat any cheese made with unpasteurized (raw) milk; no exception for hard or cooked cheese.Source
    • CDCAvoid raw-milk cheese unless heated to 165 F or until steaming hot.Source

  • United Kingdom

    • Raw (unpasteurized) milk, from a farm, market or vending machineAvoid
    • Pasteurized milk from the shopNo known issues
    • FSAPregnant women should not consume raw drinking milk or cream.Source
    • NHSRaw milk can carry listeria and other harmful bacteria.Source
    Cheese made from raw milk
    • NHSUnpasteurised dairy may contain listeria.Source

  • Canada

    • Raw (unpasteurized) milk, from a farm, market or vending machineAvoid
    • Pasteurized milk from the shopNo known issues
    • CPSAvoid unpasteurized milk, cheese and dairy products.Source
    • Health CanadaAvoid raw or unpasteurized dairy products; choose pasteurized.Source
    Cheese made from raw milk
    • CPSAvoid unpasteurized cheese and dairy products.Source
    • Health CanadaAvoid raw or unpasteurized dairy products, including uncooked hard cheese; cooked cheese is fine.Source

  • Australia

    • Raw (unpasteurized) milk, from a farm, market or vending machineAvoid
    • Pasteurized milk from the shopNo known issues
    • Better Health Channel (Victoria)Avoid unpasteurised milk and foods made from it.Source
    • FSANZAvoid raw milk and raw-milk cheeses; choose pasteurised dairy.Source
    • NSW Food AuthorityDo not drink or use unpasteurised (raw) dairy.Source
    • NSW HealthDo not eat unpasteurised milk or milk products.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Only dairy made from pasteurised milk.Source
    Cheese made from raw milk
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Only dairy made from pasteurised milk; no cooked unpasteurised exception.Source
    • NSW Food AuthoritySoft and semi-soft cheeses only if cooked to at least 75°C.Source

  • New Zealand

    • Raw (unpasteurized) milk, from a farm, market or vending machineAvoid
    • Pasteurized milk from the shopNo known issues
    • Health NZAvoid unpasteurised dairy products.Source
    Cheese made from raw milk
    • MPI (NZ Food Safety)Avoid raw milk, raw-milk cheeses and raw-milk yoghurts.Source

  • Ireland

    • Raw (unpasteurized) milk, from a farm, market or vending machineAvoid
    • Pasteurized milk from the shopNo known issues
    • HSEAvoid unpasteurised dairy (milk and cheese).Source
    • FSAIDo not drink raw milk without boiling it first.Source
What to check

Before you drink unpasteurized milk.

  1. Choose milk that says pasteurized

    The FDA asks you to make sure all the dairy you have in pregnancy is made with pasteurized milk, and to check the label. It says all milk sold in interstate commerce in the US is pasteurized, but some dairy sold locally, on farms or in cheese shops, is not. FDA

  2. Check what cheese is made from

    The FDA lists soft cheeses such as feta, brie and camembert among foods not to eat in pregnancy unless they're made with pasteurized milk. The CDC asks for raw-milk cheese to be avoided unless it's heated to 165°F or until steaming hot. FDA

  3. Keep milk cold

    The FDA asks for milk and milk products to be kept in the fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below. FDA

Questions

About unpasteurized milk
in pregnancy.

The FDA says not to drink raw milk or eat foods made with unpasteurized milk during pregnancy. It says listeria can be found in unpasteurized milk and cheese made from it, and can be particularly harmful to you and your unborn baby.

The CDC asks you to avoid raw-milk cheese unless it is heated to 165°F or until steaming hot. Doola Scan shows Avoid for raw milk itself in the US.

In Doola Scan, raw milk shows Avoid in all six. The UK's FSA says pregnant women should not drink raw milk or cream, Health Canada says avoid raw or unpasteurized milk, and Ireland's HSE lists unpasteurised milk and cheese among foods to avoid.

Ireland's FSAI advises boiling raw milk before drinking it. Doola Scan still shows Avoid for boiled raw milk in all six countries, and Ireland's HSE lists unpasteurised milk among foods to avoid in pregnancy.

This is where countries differ. The NHS accepts hard cheeses like parmesan whether pasteurised or not, and Health Canada accepts any cheese cooked. Doola Scan shows raw-milk cheese as Check in the UK and Canada, and Avoid in the US, Australia, New Zealand and Ireland.

The guidance lowers a risk; it isn't a sign that something is wrong. Pregnancy Birth and Baby says to see your doctor or midwife if you're worried or have symptoms such as fever, aches or an upset stomach.

No. Each country's raw milk guidance applies all through pregnancy.

Yes. Take a photo of the label, and Doola Scan checks each ingredient, including whether the milk is pasteurised, against your country's pregnancy guidance. Food scans are free, 3 a day.
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Point Doola at a plate, a menu or a label. It checks every ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance and shows its sources. Food scans are free, 3 a day.

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Doola shows what official guidance says; it never diagnoses. No known issues means none of these countries' pregnancy guidance names it, not a promise that a food is safe.