Can u eat seafood while pregnant

Crab or Lobster While Pregnant: Are They Safe?

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

Seafood is a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for your heart. But if you're pregnant, you've probably heard that you should avoid some types of sushi and seafood. The good news is that most types of seafood, including crab and lobster, are safe to eat while you're pregnant. Not only is it safe, eating seafood has a lot of benefits for you and your baby.

Benefits of Eating Seafood While Pregnant

Several studies have shown that the benefits of eating seafood low in mercury while pregnant outweigh the risks. In one study, women who ate less omega-3 fatty acids from seafood had a higher chance of becoming depressed during pregnancy and postpartum. This study concluded that eating seafood during pregnancy could improve pregnant women's mental health.

Another study followed 805 mother-child pairs and asked how much fish the mothers ate during pregnancy. Children of women who ate between 1 and 3 servings of fish weekly while pregnant were tested between the ages of 6 and 12. The children had lower metabolic syndrome scores, which meant they were less likely to get heart disease or diabetes.

Eating fish while you're pregnant may make your baby smarter and more well-behaved. A study of almost 12,000 women showed that children born to women who ate more than 2 servings of fish per week did better on tests of intelligence, behavior, and development than children born to women who ate less fish.

Another study showed that 6-month-old babies whose mothers ate 2 or more servings of low-mercury fish weekly while pregnant had better visual recognition than babies whose mothers didn't. Women who are pregnant should eat 8 to 12 ounces of fish per week to get all of the health benefits.

Seafood to Avoid

Not all seafood is safe to eat when you're pregnant, however. Here are some guidelines about the types of fish and shellfish you should avoid.

Seafood high in mercury. Some fish can be high in mercury, which can harm your baby's developing nervous system. Studies have shown that children born to women who were exposed to mercury during pregnancy could have delayed brain functions. A general rule of thumb is the bigger and older the fish, the more mercury it can contain. It's recommended you avoid these while pregnant:

Shark
Marlin
Orange roughy
King mackerel
Bigeye tuna
Swordfish
Tilefish

Seafood that is low in mercury includes:

Light canned tuna
Anchovies
Cod
Catfish
Herring
Sardines
Salmon
Pollock
Pacific oysters
Trout
Shad
Talapia
Shrimp

You should limit albacore tuna to 6 ounces per week.

Raw or undercooked seafood. When you're pregnant, your immune system changes, making you and your baby more susceptible to bacteria and parasites in raw or undercooked seafood. During pregnancy, these illnesses can be worse and can cause miscarriage or preterm delivery.

There are some foodborne illnesses, including Listeria and Toxoplasma gondii that can infect your baby even if you don't feel sick. All seafood should be cooked to at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit. Fish is cooked well when it cannot be seen through and flakes easily. Shrimp, lobster, and scallops should be milky white when cooked. Clams, mussels, and oysters should be cooked until their shells open. You should avoid:

Sushi
Sashimi
Raw oysters
Raw clams
Ceviche

You should also avoid refrigerated smoked seafood unless it is canned, shelf-stable, or in a dish that has been cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit. This includes many foods labeled:

Jerky
Smoked
Kippered
Nova-style
Lox

Seafood listed on fish advisories. Every state and territory in the U.S. issues a warning about fish caught in local waters that may be contaminated with pollutants or mercury. These warnings tell you which fish you can safely eat. The warnings are based on the levels of five toxins that may be present in lakes, rivers, and coastal waters. These include:

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)
Mercury
Dichloro-Diphenyl-Trichloroethane (DDT)
Chlordane
Dioxins

Eat a Variety of Seafood

Eating a wide variety of seafood helps to limit your exposure to mercury. The Seychelles Child Development Study has followed children in Seychelles, a country of tropical islands in the Indian Ocean, since the mid-1980s. People in Seychelles eat an average of 8 seafood meals a week, which is much more than other places in the world. Being an island nation, they eat a wide variety of seafood.

Since many fish contain mercury, the study is trying to determine if there are any bad effects from eating so many fish. So far, there has been no evidence of abnormal or delayed development in the children, many of whom are now adults.

Can You Eat Seafood While Pregnant? Seafood to Eat and Avoid – Alaskan Salmon Co.

If you’re wondering about eating seafood during your pregnancy, you’re not alone! Many women are curious about the safety and nutritional benefits of seafood during pregnancy. In this blog post, we'll dispel some myths and give you the lowdown on which types of seafood are most nutritious for expectant mothers—as well as those that should be avoided. We'll also recommend a few recipes so you can enjoy seafood during your pregnancy!

Can Pregnant Women Eat Seafood?

Yes, generally speaking.

Contrary to myths, it is generally considered safe to eat seafood while pregnant. In fact, many experts recommend that pregnant women include seafood in their diet, as it can help to provide important nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and iodine. These nutrients are crucial for both fetal growth and brain development. Furthermore, consuming seafood has also been shown to reduce the risk of preterm birth and pregnancy complications.

However, there are some safety concerns that should be taken into consideration when eating seafood during pregnancy. For example, certain types of fish may contain high levels of mercury that can be harmful to a developing fetus. Additionally, you should always consult with a doctor before making any changes to your diet during pregnancy. With proper precautions, though, eating seafood during pregnancy can be a great way to boost your overall health and well-being.

What Seafood Can You Eat While Pregnant?

The good news is that most seafood is perfectly safe to eat during pregnancy. In fact, across the board, seafood can be an especially healthy component of your pregnancy diet. This is because fish are generally high in key nutrients that support fetal brain development.

These include:

Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA)
Iron
Iodine
Choline
Vitamins B12 and D
Protein
Selenium

However, there are a few things to keep in mind when choosing seafood.

First of all, only eat fish that has been cooked thoroughly. Raw or undercooked fish can contain harmful bacteria that can cause food poisoning. If you do opt for raw seafood, ensure that it’s sushi-grade and from a reputable, trusted source.
Secondly, avoid fish with high concentrations of mercury. Mercury is a toxic element that can build up in the body, and it can be especially harmful to developing babies.
Finally, look for fish that are high in omega-3 fatty acids. These essential nutrients are important for fetal brain development, and they can also help to reduce the risk of preterm labor.

So, what seafood can you eat while pregnant? With these guidelines in mind, you can enjoy delicious and nutritious seafood throughout your pregnancy. Here are a few of the best options for you and baby:

1. Salmon

Wild-caught Alaskan salmon is prized for its high omega-3 fatty acid content, making it a perfect choice for a pregnancy diet. Not only is salmon some of the safest seafood from a mercury standpoint, but it’s also nutritionally rich.

In addition to omega-3s, salmon is a great source of protein, and vitamins B6, B12, and D. These encourage healthy brain development in growing fetuses and support the mom’s health, too.

While fishy smells and tastes may be a turn-off for moms-to-be, salmon also has a lighter smell and taste. This makes it a more palatable choice, too.

2. Trout

Like salmon, just one 6-ounce serving a week of trout provides an adequate source of DHA. Docosahexaenoic (DHA) acid is one type of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, and it’s one of the most important nutrients during pregnancy. It supports healthy fetal growth and research suggests that it reduces the risk of preterm birth.

Not only do trout and salmon provide DHA, but they also do so without increasing biomarker levels of mercury, which is associated with developmental neurotoxicity.

3.

Herring

Herring is yet another type of low-mercury seafood that can provide all the necessary DHA in just a single 6-ounce serving. The white fish is often caught in waters near Northern Ireland and Scotland and is nutritionally dense. In addition to omega-3s that support fetal brain development, herring is a good source of vitamin D and selenium. It also contains tiny bones that can be removed, but if eaten, they’re an excellent source of calcium!

4. Tuna (canned chunk light, skipjack)

Chunk light canned tuna is yet another fish that is deemed a “Best Choice” for pregnant women by the Food and Drug Administration. Eating up to three servings of tuna a week will provide key nutrients without leading to a dangerous increase in mercury levels. Tuna is convenient and high in omega-3s, protein, iron, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.

Do, however, eat albacore, yellowfin, and white tuna less often, as they contain more mercury.

Other popular pregnancy-friendly best choice seafood includes: Anchovy, Atlantic Mackerel, Black Sea Bass, Catfish, Clam, Cod, Crab, Crawfish, Flounder, Haddock, Hake, Lobster, Mullet, Oyster, Perch, Pickerel, Pollock, Sardine, Scallop, Shrimp. Sole, Squid, Tilapia, Whitefish, and Whiting.

Why Can’t You Eat Seafood While Pregnant: Mercury

Now you might be wondering why you can't eat seafood while pregnant. Most of it has to do with mercury. Mercury occurs naturally and is found in soil, rack, and water all around the world. Human activities have increased mercury levels through burning fossil fuels and mining gold.

In these cases, mercury is in the atmosphere before it ends up in the ocean, where it is converted by bacteria to methylmercury, a highly toxic form of mercury. Fish absorb methylmercury in food and in water. As it passes over their gills, it becomes tightly bound to the proteins in fish tissue, like muscle.

Methylmercury accumulates as you move up the food chain. Phytoplankton eat it first, then zooplankton eat the phytoplankton, then the small fish eat the zooplankton. Eventually, it reaches the bigger fish. This means that larger, predatory fish tend to be those with the highest concentrations of mercury.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to clean or cook fish to remove the mercury. Because of their large bodies and consumption of other types of fish that also have methylmercury absorbed into their tissues, large predatory fish can have methylmercury concentrations 10 million times higher than other fish in their habitat.

Mercury can complicate the health of the mom and damage the developing brains of human fetuses, leading to deficits in motor skills, behavior, cognition, and attention. For this reason, certain types of seafood should not be consumed by pregnant women:

King mackerel
Marlin
Orange roughy
Shark
Swordfish
Tilefish
Bigeye Tuna (often found in sushi)

Final Thoughts on Pregnancy-Safe Seafood

Expectant mothers everywhere can rejoice in knowing that they can safely celebrate Taco Tuesday with some Grilled Salmon Tacos. In fact, enjoying that or Baked Salmon with Spring Vegetables is one of the best things you can do when you’ve got a bun in the oven!

While there are some types of seafood that should be avoided during pregnancy because they contain high levels of mercury, most fish and seafood can provide an excellent source of vitamins and fatty acids. As always, if you’re unsure about which types of seafood are safest for you and your pregnancy, don’t hesitate to consult your doctor or healthcare professional.

Fish and seafood during pregnancy

Nutritionists recommend eating seafood at almost any age, as they are rich in trace elements, vitamins and minerals. In this regard, natural questions arise: what kind of fish can pregnant women eat? And will seafood harm the unborn child?

First of all, the products must be fresh, of high quality and thermally processed. These three factors are most important in the preparation of the diet of the expectant mother. nine0003

But there are a few more criteria that you should be guided by when choosing marine products for pregnant women.

Why is fish so useful during pregnancy?

Red fish during pregnancy has a positive effect not only on the development of the fetus, but also on the condition of the expectant mother. This is due to the content in such fish of a large number of useful trace elements that are easily absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School have proven that pregnant women who regularly eat fish meals during the first and second trimesters do not have to worry about the level of the child's intellectual development, since fish contains essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. nine0003

But don't overdo it. Eating exclusively fish products during the entire period of pregnancy is not the best solution. The ideal option is to include seafood in the diet several times a week.

Restrictions for eating fish and seafood during pregnancy

Doctors recommend that pregnant women eat seafood in limited quantities - no more than 300 grams 2 to 3 times a week. Also, about 70-100 grams of seaweed should be added to the menu every day. nine0003

Nori seaweed is also very beneficial. Therefore, nutritionists advise connoisseurs of Asian cuisine to supplement their diet with sushi 1-2 times a week.

Useful properties of fish and seafood during pregnancy:

All seafood contains a high percentage of iodine. It has a positive effect on the regulation of the thyroid gland.
Phosphorus, which is also present in fish, facilitates the rapid absorption of vitamin D by the human body.
Seafood is also rich in zinc, iron and low-calorie, easily digestible protein. All these substances help the full development of the fetus.
Omega-3 acids affect the formation of the child's brain. In addition, these substances are useful for the expectant mother herself. Their absorption by the body prevents the risk of developing postpartum depression.

Thus, if you doubt whether it is possible for pregnant women to eat sushi, we unequivocally answer: it is not only possible, but also necessary. Sushi should be consumed not only during the entire period of gestation, but also during the period of feeding the baby. nine0003

But you need to be extremely careful and trust only trusted establishments where high-quality fresh fish is used for cooking.

What kind of fish is allowed?

Sushi during pregnancy is useful primarily due to the fact that red fish, nori and fresh vegetables are used for its preparation. Among the most useful types of sea fish recommended for pregnant women are:

trout,
salmon,
pink salmon,
eels,

Healthy seafood also includes squid, scallops, rapana and shrimp. Sometimes they make delicious salads and dressings.

Therefore, if you want to order rolls during pregnancy, you should not worry, let alone deny yourself this pleasure. The main thing is the correct preparation of the dish. To do this, visit only trusted Japanese restaurants that you trust. nine0003

Fish and seafood during pregnancy | Mamovedia

Fish and seafood during pregnancy | Mamovediya - about the health and development of the child

Every pregnant woman should pay special attention to the diet, since her health and the development of the unborn baby depend on it. Nutrition of a pregnant woman should be varied and balanced, containing all the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Zinc, copper, fluorine and iodine are very important trace elements that should be present in the diet of every pregnant woman. The source of such trace elements are fish and seafood. nine0003

Many experts say that fish is considered more beneficial for a pregnant woman than meat. This is due to the fact that fish contains much less extractive substances than meat. Extractive substances are dangerous for those pregnant women who suffer from diseases of the duodenum and stomach with high acidity, as well as various diseases of the pancreas and liver.

In addition, the usefulness of fish and seafood for a pregnant woman is that these products activate the secretion of the digestive glands. Pregnant women with low stomach acidity are very useful fish broths and decoctions. nine0079 Fish products contribute to good digestion of food, besides, they perfectly improve appetite.

Fish dishes combined with various vegetables and herbs are perfect for expectant mothers and babies. Many pregnant women like fish baked in foil in the oven.

But it is better not to use fried fish for pregnant women, since extractive substances are not destroyed during frying, which will contribute to the increased load on the woman's kidneys and liver. In addition, fried fish contains a lot of carcinogens. nine0003

Squids, sea kale, crabs, mussels, shrimps, scallops and other seafood are very useful during pregnancy . These products are not high-calorie and not fatty, but have a sufficient amount of protein and trace elements.
Pregnant women with excess weight are recommended to use seaweed, and with anemia, squid, crabs and shrimp meat is very useful.

Doctors do not recommend raw fish for pregnant women, it is sushi, fish carpaccio and tartare. During the period of bearing a baby, make your choice in favor of cooked fish delicacies.