OatleafCan I eat rare steak while pregnant or breastfeeding?
Undercooked meat may carry toxoplasma or bacteria. US advice (CDC) is to cook whole cuts like steak to 145°F, then rest 3 minutes. UK advice (NHS) says steak is fine when thoroughly cooked on the outside.
Toxoplasma advice for undercooked meat is aimed at pregnancy. While breastfeeding, general food-safety advice is to cook whole cuts of beef to at least 145°F (63°C) and rest them 3 minutes. Ground beef is different: 160°F.
Safer swaps while pregnant
- Steak cooked well done
- Slow-cooked beef
Not sure about the next thing on your plate?
Snap a photo in Oatleaf and get safe, caution or avoid for your stage in seconds, with the reason and the source.
Get Oatleaf on iPhone Or check another food on oatleaf.app, free.More foods to check
How these answers are made
Oatleaf answers come from public food-safety guidance, mainly the CDC, FDA and EPA for the US and the NHS for the UK. Each answer cites the pages it relies on, and every link was opened and checked in October 2026. Where US and UK advice differ, the answer says so. Written by the Oatleaf team at Astralab Studios. It is general information, not medical advice.
Last reviewed October 2026.