Can You Eat Liver When Pregnant?
Written by Jordan Morley · Reviewed against NHS foods-to-avoid guidance · Last updated 28 October 2026
No — the NHS says to avoid Liver during pregnancy because it contains high levels of vitamin A (retinol), which can harm your baby.
Why is liver a concern in pregnancy?
Liver contains large amounts of vitamin A in its retinol form. Too much retinol during pregnancy can cause birth defects, which is why the NHS advises avoiding liver and all liver products throughout pregnancy, as well as any supplements containing retinol (including fish liver oils).
You can also check the calorie content of liver alongside its safety information. Also check medication safety during pregnancy if you're managing any conditions.
Liver, liver products and the look-alikes
The NHS foods-to-avoid page (last reviewed 15 June 2026) puts 'liver and liver products' under foods to avoid, and says 'Liver and foods containing liver have high levels of vitamin A, which can be harmful to your baby.' Unlike soft cheese or cured meat, there is no 'unless cooked' exception. The harder question is which foods count:
| Food | In pregnancy | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Liver and onions, liver casserole, calf, lamb, ox, pig liver | Avoid | NHS: liver |
| Chicken liver | Avoid | It is liver, so the same NHS rule applies. See chicken liver |
| Liver pâté, Brussels pâté, parfait | Avoid | NHS: liver products. See liver pâté |
| Liver sausage, liverwurst | Avoid | A liver-containing product. NCT names liver sausage; see liver sausage |
| Haggis | Avoid on NCT's list; the NHS page does not name it | NCT (February 2018) says not to eat 'products containing liver, like liver pâté, liver sausage or haggis'. Check the label for liver. See haggis |
| Meat pâté with no liver, vegetable or vegetarian pâté | Careful, not on the liver rule | NHS: keep chilled and eat before the use-by date. See pâté |
| Cod liver oil and fish liver oil supplements | Avoid | NHS: 'Do not take cod liver oil or supplements containing vitamin A (sometimes called retinol) when you're pregnant.' |
| Pregnancy multivitamins | Check the label for vitamin A or retinol | NHS vitamins page (reviewed 3 June 2026): always check the label |
Read the ingredients on pâté, sausage and ready-meal labels: liver can be an ingredient in products that are not called liver. We found no NHS statement on haggis, so that row is an NCT position, not an NHS one.
The vitamin A numbers behind the rule
The NHS vitamin A page (last reviewed 3 August 2020, so older than most pages we cite) says women aged 19 to 64 need 600µg a day, and that adults should keep intake from food and supplements below 1.5mg (1,500µg) a day, because a long-term average above that may harm bone health. It says not to eat liver or liver products such as pâté more than once a week, and that if you are pregnant you should avoid them altogether. The Committee on Toxicity page (updated 21 September 2022) says the UK advice rests on estimates that liver is the main food source of enough vitamin A to pass the upper intake levels, and that continuing a high intake into pregnancy may raise the risk of neural tube defects or other developmental problems.
| Group | Liver advice | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Pregnant | Avoid liver and liver products | NHS |
| Not pregnant adults | No more than once a week, and no vitamin A supplements if you eat liver weekly | NHS vitamin A page |
| Breastfeeding | No pregnancy-style ban; the general adult once-a-week advice still applies | See liver when breastfeeding |
Why some countries allow a little liver pâté
Search results mix UK and overseas rules. The Finnish Food Authority (page updated 7 May 2019) says liver dishes such as liver patties, steaks, stew and casserole 'should be avoided during the whole pregnancy', but allows liver sausage and liver pâté up to 200g a week, with no more than 100g a meal, or 30g a day if eaten daily. The UK NHS gives no such allowance.
| Source | Liver sausage and liver pâté in pregnancy |
|---|---|
| NHS (UK, June 2026) | Avoid liver products |
| Finnish Food Authority (May 2019) | Up to 200g a week; liver dishes avoided |
If you follow UK maternity care, follow the NHS rule. The Finnish figures are shown only to explain why you may meet different advice online; we are not suggesting a UK allowance.
If you have already eaten liver
The NHS foods-to-avoid page gives its 'what to do' advice for listeriosis and toxoplasmosis symptoms and does not set out a vitamin A procedure. The risk the sources describe builds up with repeated large amounts, as in the COT statement's estimates for regular liver eaters. A one-off portion is not what those figures describe, but if you have been eating liver regularly, tell your midwife or GP (our suggestion), and stop eating it now.
Sources checked
Everything in the sections above was checked against these pages on 28 October 2026.
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy (page last reviewed 15 June 2026) — liver and liver products: avoid; high vitamin A; meat pâté and vegetable pâté: be careful, keep chilled and eat before use-by; last reviewed 15 June 2026
- NHS: Pregnancy vitamins and supplements (page last reviewed 3 June 2026) — do not take cod liver oil or supplements containing vitamin A; check the label; reviewed 3 June 2026
- NHS: Vitamin A (page last reviewed 3 August 2020; its own next-review date has passed) — 600 micrograms a day for women; upper limit 1.5mg; liver or liver products no more than once a week; avoid in pregnancy
- Committee on Toxicity (cot.food.gov.uk): risk characterisation statement on excess vitamin A and maternal health (updated 21 September 2022) — UK advice basis: liver the main contributor to vitamin A intakes above upper levels; neural tube defects risk
- Finnish Food Authority: Consumption of liver and liver-based food during pregnancy (updated 7 May 2019) — Finland: liver sausage and pâté up to 200g a week; liver dishes avoided
- NCT: Foods to avoid in pregnancy (last reviewed February 2018) — rival (reviewed February 2018): liver pâté, liver sausage, haggis; still says avoid all pâté including vegetarian, which differs from the NHS 2026 wording
Safe swaps
As an Amazon Associate, CJ Affiliate and AWIN publisher we earn from qualifying purchases. Links below are affiliate links.
Pregnancy essentials
Pregnancy food guide
A paper reference for the fridge door — no more mid-supermarket googling.
Check Price →Digital food thermometer
Cooked through means 75°C in the middle — a probe ends the guesswork.
Check Price →Links open your local Amazon store. We may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Want to know exactly what's in your food? Our ingredient checker covers E-numbers, allergens and vegan status.
More pregnancy essentials
Baby-safe food thermometer
Useful for pregnancy cooking checks and later for baby food.
Check Price →Liver: the other answers on this site
| Question | Short answer (links to the full page) |
|---|---|
| While breastfeeding | Safe in moderation |
Common questions
Can I eat liver when pregnant?
No. The NHS lists liver and liver products under foods to avoid because they have high levels of vitamin A, which can be harmful to your baby.
Can I eat chicken liver when pregnant?
No. Chicken liver is liver, so the NHS avoid rule applies. See our chicken liver page.
Can I eat liver pâté or liver sausage when pregnant?
No. The NHS counts them as liver products. Meat pâté without liver and vegetable pâté are on its 'be careful with' list: keep them chilled and eat them before the use-by date.
Is haggis safe in pregnancy?
NCT lists haggis with liver products to avoid; the NHS page we read does not name it. Check the label for liver.
Can I take cod liver oil when pregnant?
No. The NHS says not to take cod liver oil or supplements containing vitamin A (retinol) when you are pregnant.
Does cooking liver make it safe in pregnancy?
No. Unlike cured meat and soft cheese, the NHS liver rule has no 'unless cooked' exception, because the concern is vitamin A, not bacteria.
Can I eat liver when breastfeeding?
The pregnancy ban does not apply. The NHS vitamin A page says adults should not eat liver or liver products more than once a week.
Why do some countries allow liver pâté in pregnancy?
The Finnish Food Authority allows up to 200g of liver sausage or pâté a week. The UK NHS advises avoiding liver products altogether.
Related answers
Primary source: NHS foods-to-avoid guidance.
General information only, not medical advice: see the medical disclaimer. Feeling unwell after eating something? Contact NHS 111 or your GP.