by Amy Ogle, M.S., R.D. Author Before Your Pregnancy: Prepare Your Body For a Healthy Pregnancy - Expert Advice on Nutrition and Exercise

Question:

Is cream cheese considered a soft cheese and should it be avoided during pregnancy like feta cheese?

Answer:

Cream cheese is a soft cheese, but not considered to be a potential danger for pregnant women. The soft cheeses that pose the most risk for foodborne illness such as Listeriosis (and Salmonella) are the Mexican-style cheeses, Brie, feta, blue cheese, and Camembert. Most of these are made from unpasteurized milk, and even if they are pasteurized milk products, they are at greater risk for contamination during the packaging process.

You asked specifically about your feta cheese consumption. Do stop eating it while pregnant, but please do not worry yourself to pieces over this. To calm your nerves, you may want to call the manufacturer of your feta cheese and see what their track record is; likely they have never had any incidences. Pregnant women are simply advised to avoid feta because of the potential for harm.

Listeria infection can take up to 8 weeks to manifest itself in people, and not everyone gets sick; symptoms in a pregnant woman typically are flu-like. The fetus can be more seriously affected if transmission occurs. It is ideal to begin avoiding potentially hazardous foods about 2-3 months prior to conception.

Amy Ogle, MS, RD
Author/Producer of Before Your Pregnancy
Web page: http://www.b4yourpregnancy.com