Fish Consumption During Pregnancy

Filed in archive Pregnancy and Nutrition on November 30, 2007

Pregnant women have, in the past, been warned about fish consumption due to the prevalence of contaminated fish that are high in mercury or PCBs. However, the recent consensus is that avoiding fish may actually be more detrimental, and that the benefits of fish in the maternal diet outweighs the risks.

The fatty acids found in fish is important for a baby's brain development, and they've shown that children whose mothers ate no seafood were 48 percent more likely to have a low verbal IQ score, compared to children whose mothers ate high amounts of seafood.

What is crucial is choosing the right fish to eat. Avoid marlin and blue fin tuna, for example, which have been shown to be the worst in terms of mercury and PCB contamination. Oceans Alive has a tabulated list of the best and worst fish options. Check it out before you go fish shopping!