Listeria, anyone experience it?

Question

I have completely avoided subway and port of subs for the last 7 weeks due to being pregnant. My husband wanted to go today so I looked up what was safe there and decided on getting a meatball sandwich. 
My husband did not know that I couldn't have deli meat and of course while we are there, a pregnant women walks in. Orders a sandwich with 3 different meats, sits down, eats it in front of us. Now my husband thinks I'm crazy! My coworker also ate deli meat sandwiches every single day while she was pregnant (way before I was pregnant) because she had no idea she was not supposed to avoid it, her doctor never advised her. 
I guess I'm wondering if the risk of deli meat and certain cheeses is "really" that high? I know that any risk is not worth it, but it just blows my mind now I have seen and known multiple pregnant women who eat deli meat on a daily basis.

Answer

The way I see it, I've been eating deli meat for the past 25+ years and have never gotten sick nor have I ever heard of anyone actually getting listeria from deli meats... so if I want a sandwich once in a while, I'm going to eat it.

Answer

I just posted this in another comment, actually. I work for the USDA Food Safety Inspection Service. We work really hard to ensure federally inspected meat (like the deli meat at subway) is free of listeria.

That being said, there are about 1,600 cases of listeriosis each year. About 260 people die yearly. Pregnant women are 10 times more likely to contract listeriosis than those not pregnant.

I know for a fact that there were about 130 cases of listeriosis linked to federally inspected meat in 2016 (think deli meat, hot dogs, jerky). (This does not include state inspected meat, which would raise that number). I don't know how many of those 130 were pregnant women, however.

There is a risk, albeit small when you look at the big picture. But it exists and the consequences are serious.

Answer

I work for an OB doctor and we shared jimmy johns sandwiches the other day. I figure if it wasn't allowed, she wouldn't have let me eat it. The way she explained it, listeria CAN be pretty harmful to baby, but it's so rare that you really don't need to worry.

Answer

I'm a person that eats deli meat while pregnant BUT I have it toasted/heated up as your allowed to have it that way because by heating it, it takes the Listeria away 😊

Answer

I avoid it completely as well. I have been told by other women though to just have them toast it and if the meat is heated it isn't a risk. My actual doctor though and nurse both told us to avoid it completely. Even cross contamination can give you a little bug or something which is way more miserable pregnant.

Answer

It's not any higher than it is for anyone else. I eat it if I want it and I really don't care at all. It can be found in a lot of foods, lettuce being a common one. My teacher in high school got it and it was pretty bad for him but he was old and unhealthy to begin with. He didn't get it from eating lunch meat either.

Answer

I eat deli meats including subway. The risk is so low... listeria is very rare.

Answer

They chances of getting it are really low. I'm almost 19w with twins and get really sick still and sandwiches are one of the only things that don't turn my stomach. If I smell cooking meat I'm done for so I eat them cold although I was really careful on not eating deli meat for like the first 17w now I'm kind of whatever. I just stay away from subway and I make sure to get fresh deli meat. But I would live off of sandwiches (even before pregnancy) if my husband would let me. His mom is really obsessed with eating sandwiches too so it drives him crazy lol.

Answer

It seems to be more of an American thing around meats. Before this app I literally never heard about it or any pregnant person staying away from meats. The cheese thing yes that's common knowledge.

Answer

i ate a "oven roasted chicken" sandwich from subway and it made me super sick. dr said i came into contact with a bit of the bacteria. so after that i stopped eating "deli" meats. just be careful. make sure they heat it up WELL

Listeria, anyone experience it?

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