can I eat rare steak?
Rare and medium-rare steak should be avoided during pregnancy — all meat should be cooked with no pink or blood. The risk is toxoplasmosis, a parasite that can survive in undercooked meat.
why it matters
Toxoplasma parasites can live inside muscle tissue, not just on the surface, so searing the outside doesn't remove them. Toxoplasmosis is often unnoticed in adults but can cause serious harm to a developing baby, particularly with first-time infection in pregnancy.
how to have it safely
Order steak medium-well or well-done — cooked until the juices run clear with no pink remaining. A good chef can keep a well-done steak tender; it's nine months, not forever.
worth knowing
- NHS: cook all meat thoroughly with no trace of pink or blood — this covers steak, roast beef served pink, and rare burgers.
- Whole-muscle beef is lower risk than minced meat, but both NHS and FDA still advise cooking it through in pregnancy.
- Rare burgers are riskier than rare steak — mincing spreads surface bacteria all the way through.
- If you've eaten rare meat regularly before pregnancy, you may already be immune to toxoplasmosis — but there's no easy way to know, so cook it through.
common questions
I ate rare steak before I knew I was pregnant — what should I do?
Don't panic — the risk from a single meal is small. Mention it to your midwife or doctor at your next appointment; they can arrange a toxoplasmosis test if there's any concern.
Is pink roast beef or lamb okay?
No — the same rule applies to all meat served pink, including roast beef, rare lamb and duck breast. Cook until juices run clear.
also in meat
Aligned with guidance from the NHS, FDA and WHO. This is general information, not personal medical advice — check with your midwife or doctor about your own situation. How we write.