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Food Safety: Eating fish while you are pregnant or breastfeeding
Fish provide important nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids that may be good for your health. Fish can be part of a healthy diet for pregnant and breastfeeding women. However, some types of fish may contain chemicals that can be health risks.
Mercury in Fish. One of these chemicals is mercury, and some types of fish have high levels of mercury. The mercury can harm the developing nervous system in an unborn child or young baby. See which fish are safe versus not safe to eat below. Choose fish carefully to prevent any harm to your baby and still enjoy the potential health benefits of eating seafood.
Follow this advice to avoid mercury from fish:
Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.
You may eat up to 12 ounces a week (2 average meals) of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.
- Shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish are some commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury. To check on mercury in other types of fish, click here.
- “White” tuna (albacore) has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing fish and shellfish, include only up to 6 ounces per week of white tuna.
Click here for more information about mercury in fish and seafood for women who might become pregnant, are pregnant, nursing mothers, and young children.
Other Chemicals in Fish. In addition to mercury, fish may contain other harmful chemicals, especially fish caught in local waters. Check local advisories to learn about the safety of fish caught in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. Advisories may recommend that people limit or avoid eating some types of fish caught in certain places. Click here for advisories in your state. If no advice is available, you may eat up to 6 ounces per week of fish from local waters, but don't eat any other fish during that week.
 Food Safety for pregnant and breastfeeding women
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