Can pregnant women eat chicken liver?

During pregnancy, dietary intake should balance animal- and plant-based foods to ensure comprehensive and balanced nutrition. Chicken liver—a commonly consumed animal-based food—is not only delicious but also highly nutritious, affordable, and easy to prepare. However, can pregnant women safely consume chicken liver? Details are provided below:

Can Pregnant Women Eat Chicken Liver?

Yes, pregnant women may consume chicken liver. It is rich in iron and helps prevent or alleviate anemia, thereby benefiting fetal development. Fresh chicken liver is recommended; avoid consuming chicken liver that has been stored for too long in the refrigerator or supermarket display cases.
It is generally advised that pregnant women consume animal liver (e.g., chicken or pork liver) once per week to support adequate iron intake. Animal livers are among the most effective dietary sources of bioavailable iron. Iron deficiency in pregnant women may lead to congenital iron deficiency in newborns.

If concerned about potential toxins in animal livers, soak the chicken liver in water for 30 minutes before cooking—this helps remove residual impurities. After consuming chicken liver or other animal livers, it is advisable to pair them with vegetables, which enhances iron absorption.

Important note: Chicken liver should not be consumed concurrently with vitamin C. Vitamin C possesses an enediol structure and is easily oxidized and degraded. Since liver contains copper, co-ingestion of vitamin C and chicken liver may result in copper-catalyzed oxidation of vitamin C into dehydroascorbic acid, thereby diminishing its biological activity.

Additionally, chicken liver should not be consumed simultaneously with certain medications, including anticoagulants, levodopa, pargyline, and phenelzine. Anticoagulants are used to prevent or treat intravascular thrombosis or embolism and to reduce stroke or other thrombotic disease risks. Levodopa treats Parkinson’s disease and Parkinsonian syndromes. Pargyline is indicated for hypertension, while phenelzine is used for depression and angina pectoris relief.

We hope the above information is helpful. Wishing you a healthy and joyful life!