FDA Updates Fish Consumption Recs for New and Expecting Mothers

FDA Updates Fish Consumption Recs for New and Expecting Mothers

Good news for sushi lovers: the FDA has updated its recommendations for eating fish during and after pregnancy. Adding a few servings a week of fish low in mercury is now strongly encouraged for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Best Choices

Anchovy, Atlantic croaker, Atlantic mackerel, Black sea bass, Butterfish, Catfish, Clam, Cod, Crab, Crawfish, Flounder, Haddock, Hake, Herring, Lobster (American and spiny), Mullet, Oyster, Pacific chub mackerel
Perch (freshwater and ocean), Pickerel, Plaice, Pollock, Salmon, Sardine, Scallop, Shad, Shrimp, Skate, Smelt, Sole, Squid, Tilapia, Trout (freshwater), Tuna (canned light–includes skipjack), Whitefish, Whiting

Good Choices

Bluefish, Buffalofish, Carp, Chilean sea bass, Grouper, Halibut, Mahi mahi, Monkfish, Rockfish, Sablefish, Sheepshead, Snapper, Spanish mackerel, Striped bass (ocean), Tilefish (Atlantic Ocean), Tuna (albacore), Tuna (yellowfin), Weakfish, White croaker

Choices to Avoid

King mackerel, Marlin, Orange roughy, Shark, Swordfish, Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico), Tuna (bigeye)

Key Takeaways

  • Be careful about mercury content, but embrace the nutritional value and health benefits that fish have to offer.
  • Nutritious, low-mercury fish such as salmon, shrimp, and shellfish are excellent dietary choices. 
  • Pregnant and breastfeeding women should always avoid high-mercury fish like swordfish, king mackerel, and bigeye tuna. 
  • It’s recommended that pregnant or breastfeeding women eat two to three 4-oz servings (8 to 12 oz total) of low-mercury fish per week based on a 2000 calorie diet. However, only 30% of pregnant women get this amount according to a 2012 study.
  • Bottom line: Eat that sushi you’ve been craving (just skip the bigeye tuna)!

You can read the original article here.

Back to blog

Leave a comment

Please note, comments need to be approved before they are published.

Pregnant? Afraid of tearing? 8 out of 10 women tear during a vaginal delivery. But we're here to help. NeoHeat: Repair the Tear. SHOP NOW

You may also like:

Disclaimer: This is general medical information and not specific medical advice.  It does not and should not replace diagnosis or treatment by your healthcare provider. If you are seeking personal recommendations, advice, and/or treatment, please consult your physician. If you have an emergency, you should contact 911 or go to the nearest Emergency Room.