GUIDE
Eggs During Pregnancy
YES — eggs are safe and nutritious when fully cooked.
Cook eggs until both the white and yolk are firm to eliminate salmonella risk. Eggs are an excellent source of protein, choline, and other key pregnancy nutrients.
Be prepared from day one
The Short Answer
Eggs are one of the best foods you can eat during pregnancy — they're packed with protein, choline, and essential vitamins. The only rule: cook them thoroughly. Both the white and yolk should be firm, eliminating any risk of Salmonella contamination.
This means hard-boiled, well-scrambled, and fully baked eggs are all excellent choices. What to avoid are runny yolks, soft-boiled eggs, and any preparation where the egg isn't fully cooked (homemade mayo, raw cookie dough, traditional Caesar dressing).
For a complete overview, see our complete food safety guide.
Safe Egg Preparations
- Hard-boiled eggs — cooked until both white and yolk are completely firm
- Well-scrambled eggs — cooked until no liquid egg remains
- Fully cooked omelets and frittatas — eggs set throughout
- Eggs in baked goods — cakes, muffins, and breads where eggs are fully baked
- Pasteurized egg products — liquid eggs, egg whites, for use in cooking
- Fully cooked quiche — egg mixture completely set, not runny
Cook eggs to an internal temperature of 160°F for safety.
What to Avoid
- Runny or soft-boiled eggs — yolk should be firm, not liquid
- Sunny-side-up with runny yolk — unless using pasteurized eggs
- Raw cookie dough or cake batter — contains uncooked eggs
- Homemade Caesar dressing — traditionally made with raw egg yolk
- Homemade mayonnaise — uses raw eggs (commercial mayo is safe)
- Homemade hollandaise sauce — made with lightly cooked eggs
- Eggnog with raw eggs — homemade versions may use uncooked eggs
These guidelines are based on ACOG and FDA recommendations.
Why Eggs Are a Pregnancy Superfood
Eggs deserve the "superfood" label during pregnancy for one nutrient in particular: choline. Choline is essential for fetal brain development and helps prevent neural tube defects. Yet most pregnant women don't get enough — the recommended intake is 450mg per day, and the average intake is only about 320mg. One large egg provides 147mg of choline, making eggs one of the easiest ways to close that gap.
Beyond choline, a large egg delivers 6 grams of complete protein, vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium, riboflavin, and healthy fats. These nutrients complement what you get from your prenatal vitamins. The yolk contains most of these nutrients, so eat the whole egg — not just the whites.
The Salmonella concern is real but manageable. The CDC estimates about 1 in 20,000 eggs contains Salmonella. During pregnancy, Salmonella infection can cause severe dehydration from vomiting and diarrhea, and in rare cases, the bacteria can cross the placenta. Cooking eggs to 160°F kills Salmonella completely, making this a simple precaution.
Tips for Safe Eating
Cook eggs until both the white and yolk are firm. For scrambled eggs, cook until no visible liquid egg remains. For hard-boiled eggs, boil for at least 12 minutes. For omelets and frittatas, make sure the center is set, not runny.
When eating out, order eggs well-done. You can request scrambled eggs cooked through, or fried eggs with a firm yolk. Most restaurants will accommodate this.
For recipes that traditionally call for raw eggs — Caesar dressing, hollandaise, tiramisu, mousse — use pasteurized eggs or pasteurized liquid egg products. These have been heat-treated to kill Salmonella while maintaining a raw-like consistency.
Commercial mayonnaise is made with pasteurized eggs and is safe during pregnancy. Homemade mayo uses raw eggs and should be avoided unless you use pasteurized eggs.
For more on building a nutritious pregnancy diet, see our best foods for pregnancy guide and pregnancy superfoods guide. For a full list of foods to avoid, check our complete food safety guide.
This guide is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with any questions about your pregnancy.
