Several pregnancy and nutrition experts came together to share the advice found in this guide. We encourage you to download the guide for more information on the benefits of seafood and pregnancy nutrition. Visit our Health and Nutrition Blog for new about the health benefits of eating seafood during pregnancy and beyond.
Search for:. Members Portal Contact Us. What to Eat for a Healthy Pregnancy Diet When you are pregnant, aim to eat a variety of cooked seafood times each week.
Both words are used in this guide to mean all seafood, including fish and shellfish. For the general population, there are no types of commercial seafood to avoid. To play it safe, the latest FDA and EPA recommendations suggest avoiding or limiting the following fish while you're pregnant and nursing:.
Exercise extra caution if you're planning to eat recreationally-caught fish: Check local state advisories for the waters where the fish was caught. If no information is available, stick to one serving of these fish per week, with skin and excess fat removed.
Despite the long list of fish to limit during pregnancy, the vast majority of fish you'll find in the store and at restaurants are considered safe to eat when you're expecting at two to three servings that's 8 to 12 ounces per week. These include:. Heard conflicting advice on salmon during pregnancy, too? Salmon is definitely one of nature's best providers of DHA.
But to ensure you're not also feasting on the high levels of PCBs often found in farmed salmon, opt for wild which also contains more of those healthy omega-3 fats or organic farmed salmon. Here are a few tips to properly prepare fish and help reduce your exposure to any potential contaminants:. The good news at least for moms who enjoy seafood is that fish really does offer big benefits for both pregnant women and their developing babies. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations.
Due to their high mercury levels, there are four types of fish that should be avoided while pregnant or breastfeeding. These include tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico, swordfish, shark, and king mackerel. Also, if you eat fish from a local river, stream, or lake, make sure to first check the advisories for those bodies of water. You can find this information on your local fishing regulations website or through your local health department.
If this information is not provided, consumption of such fish should be limited to 6 ounces per week. Learn more about foods to avoid while pregnant. It is unlikely that one serving of such fish would pose a risk. However, it is best to avoid these while pregnant or breastfeeding. While omega-3 supplements are beneficial, if you avoid all fish, you will be missing out on other essential nutrients.
It is best to eat a variety of lower mercury fish. In addition, you can take an omega-3 supplement. The Association recommends the brand Nordic Naturals. Safe Catch individually tests each and every fish for mercury levels.
But, researchers were more surprised by the herbal teas, and believed this could suggest that teas might contain some toxins. The researchers concluded that current advice to limit seafood intake probably would not have an effect on mercury levels in pregnant women. Another study published in October in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine showed that while low levels of mercury consumption by pregnant women raised their children's risk of ADHD-related behaviors, eating more fish was found to decrease the risk of those same behavioral problems.
The finding was still true even if the mothers were eating some fish that had high mercury content. Golding said while fish might be beneficial, nothing beats getting all your nutrients during pregnancy. Michelle Castillo. Please enter email address to continue.
0コメント