According to my pregnancy app, raw and semi-ripe papaya contains latex and papain, which act like prostaglandins and can cause early contractions. Fully ripe papaya is safe, but since it's hard to judge, most doctors advise avoiding it completely to be safe.
Honestly, even if fully ripe papaya is technically fine, the drama it causes with the elders is not worth it, haha! Raw papaya has papain which can trigger contractions, so just skip it entirely and eat apples or oranges instead to keep everyone happy.
Raw papaya has some enzymes that are not safe for the baby. It is best to avoid it completely during these nine months to stay worry-free. Take care of yourself.
When I was pregnant, I felt so scared to eat anything, and my mom strictly made me avoid papaya. Later I read that raw or semi-ripe papaya has latex which can cause uterine contractions. Even though ripe is said to be okay, I just didn't want to take any chance.
My clinical nutritionist at the hospital explicitly told me to avoid green or semi-ripe papaya due to the latex content which can stimulate labor. She suggested safer fruit alternatives for fiber. Please clarify this with your doctor during your next scan visit.
