Pregnancy Health | 35-year-old Coffee Lam (Lin Qianyu) married her non-celebrity boyfriend,翟志榮 (Zhai Zhirong), in 2018 and gave birth to their son, 翟德彥 (Zhai Deyan), in the same year. In May this year, she announced her joyous pregnancy news again. Currently focusing on maintaining her pregnancy, Coffee shared on the 16th that she accidentally ate raw pork. She also revealed the details of the incident and expressed concern for the safety of the baby in her womb. What should pregnant women do if they accidentally consume raw pork? Paediatrician Dr. Chan Yan Wing answers your questions.
The day before yesterday (the 16th), Coffee shared that she had accidentally eaten raw pork. She revealed that the domestic helper hadn't cooked the pork thoroughly. Despite Coffee stating that she "rushed to the toilet within 9 seconds to induce vomiting," she couldn't throw up anything. Coffee was worried that parasites in the raw pork would affect her unborn child. Many netizens left comments to comfort her, saying she needn't worry too much, and even joked: "Pregnant women are absolutely not recommended to Google."
Regarding this, we have consulted paediatric specialist Dr. Chan Yan-wing concerning the risks and handling of pregnant women accidentally consuming raw pork.
Eating raw meat may lead to a bacterial gastroenteritis infection.
Undercooked meat can harbour parasites and bacteria. Paediatric specialist Dr. Chan Yan-wing pointed out that common parasites found in pork include *Trichinella spiralis* and *Taenia solium* (pork tapeworm). When undercooked pork is consumed, these parasites can take up residence in the human intestines, not only absorbing nutrients from the body but also potentially migrating directly into human tissues, and even passing through the intestinal wall into the abdominal cavity and spreading to other parts of the body, including the brain, eyes, and heart.
Additionally, a more common situation after accidentally eating raw meat is bacterial gastroenteritis, such as salmonella. Infection with salmonella can cause bacterial gastroenteritis in the general population, with symptoms including high fever, vomiting, and abdominal pain; severe cases can even lead to sepsis. Chan Yan-wing warns that pregnant women need to be particularly aware of the dangers of salmonella. If consuming raw meat leads to foetal infection, it may cause premature birth or even meningitis.
You should pay attention to your bowel movements and seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Chan Yan-wing suggested that if a pregnant woman mistakenly eats raw meat, she should immediately try to vomit it up and monitor her physical condition for any signs such as fever, nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain. He also reminded pregnant women to pay attention to any abnormalities in their bowel movements, such as changes in frequency or diarrhoea. If the above symptoms occur, they should seek medical attention as soon as possible for blood tests and stool analysis. He emphasised that doctors will closely monitor the foetal condition and reassure pregnant women that there is no need to worry too much.
Finally, Chan Yan Wing pointed out that "prevention is better than cure", and that undercooked pork should be avoided as much as possible in daily life, while dairy products may contain salmonella or listeria. He concluded by reminding people that any undercooked food should be consumed with caution to avoid suffering from bacterial gastroenteritis.
Paediatric specialist Dr Chan Yan Wing. (Photo: Lo Kwok Fai)
Source: Hong Kong 01 (18 September 2025)
https://www.hk01.com/article/60277381
