Actimel & Probiotic Yogurt Drinks
Yes, Actimel and similar probiotic yogurt drinks are safe during pregnancy — they're made from pasteurised milk, the same as regular yogurt.
Last updated: October 2026 Cross-checked against NHS guidance
Actimel, Yakult, and other small-bottle probiotic yogurt drinks are safe to drink throughout pregnancy. They're made from pasteurised milk with added live bacterial cultures, and the pasteurisation step happens before the probiotic cultures are added, so there's no raw-milk concern — the same safety profile as drinking a regular pot of pasteurised yogurt. These drinks are marketed specifically for their probiotic content, and while the research on probiotics during pregnancy is still developing, there's no safety concern with drinking them, just no requirement to either. They're a convenient source of calcium and protein in small, portable servings. The main thing worth knowing isn't a safety issue — some probiotic yogurt drinks are relatively high in added sugar for their size, so they're worth treating as an occasional drink alongside a varied diet rather than a primary calcium source if sugar intake is something you're watching.
What to be aware of
- Actimel, Yakult, and similar probiotic yogurt drinks are safe — made from pasteurised milk.
- Some varieties are relatively high in added sugar for their size — check the label if that's a consideration for you.
- No pregnancy-specific benefit or requirement around probiotics specifically — safe to drink if you enjoy them, no need to if you don't.