Pregnant women need to take particular care with their diet and avoid eating foods that might harm their developing babies. This includes limiting or avoiding certain types of seafood due to their possible contamination with high levels of mercury. However, seafood provides a number of beneficial nutrients, so there is no need to avoid it altogether.
Types to Avoid or Limit
If you are pregnant, avoid the fish with the highest levels of mercury, including marlin, tilefish, shark, bigeye and ahi tuna, king mackerel, swordfish and orange roughy. You should consume other fish that is high in mercury, including grouper, Chilean sea bass, Spanish and gulf mackerel, bluefish and yellowfin and canned white albacore tuna, only three times or less per month.
Best Options
You can consume the types of seafood that are lowest in mercury twice a week. These include catfish, flounder, tilapia, haddock, herring, oysters, sardines, anchovies, salmon, shrimp, scallops, sole, whiting, whitefish, ocean perch, squid, American shad, plaice, north Atlantic or chub mackerel, hake, mullet, domestic crab, croaker, crawfish and butterfish.
Amount to Consume
The exact amount of seafood you should consume when you are pregnant depends on the type you choose. You can eat up to 12 oz. per week of the types of seafood that are lowest in mercury, which is about two meals per week, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Consume only 6 oz. per week of fish that is a bit higher in mercury, such as canned chunk light tuna.
Considerations
Seafood is low in saturated fat and a good source of B vitamins, iron and protein. Many types also contain significant amounts of beneficial omega-3 fats, which might help with the brain development of babies. As long as pregnant women follow the guidelines and consume only the types of seafood that are low in mercury, they don't need to completely avoid this healthy food.
