In my post about quick nutrition for pregnant women I mentioned that "cottage cheese, possibly with some fruit mixed in, is a great way to get some protein." Following that post, a reader wrote and asked if cottage cheese is in fact safe for pregnant women because it is a "soft cheese."

This question refers to a warning that soft cheeses should be avoided by pregnant women. Originating before the prevalence of well marked foods, this guideline was intended to prevent consumption of unpasteurized cheese. Many soft cheeses used to fit this description so it became a blanket statement.

Today, however, most dairy products sold in the United States are already pasteurized and are packaged with detailed nutritional information which would indicate so.

According to an article on BabyCenter.com, the risk behind the "soft cheese" warning was that:

Raw milk and any cheeses or other dairy products made from it can carry disease-causing organisms, including a potentially deadly bacterium called listeria monocytogenes.

So in light of well-marked, widely pasteurized foods, otherwise edible cottage cheese should be fine for most pregnant women.