how much fish can i eat while pregnant?

Question

How much fish can i eat in a day or week i am 26 weeks along

Answer 1

From the American Pregnancy Association website..Kind of a long read, but it should have all the info you need...

Mercury Levels in Fish We know that fish can be very nutritious and are packed with great nutrients such as omega-3’s, the B vitamins and lean protein. But unfortunately, fish can also have some unhealthy contaminants. Mercury is a contaminant found in fish that can affect brain development and the nervous system. The FDA has released guidelines for children, women who are pregnant and women who are trying to become pregnant. These guidelines state that no more than 12 oz of low mercury fish should be consumed weekly. "Highest" mercury fish should be avoided and "high" mercury fish should be kept to only three 6-oz servings per month.

What does this mean for women who are pregnant but also trying to get some of their much needed nutrients from the critters of the sea? It is all about moderation. Recent information released in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine says that no one should cut fish out of their diet altogether. Fish contains too many healthy nutrients that are essential for growth and development, especially in a pregnant mom and baby. There are 4 types of fish that should be on the list to avoid due to mercury levels. These include: shark, king mackerel, swordfish and tilefish.

For information regarding other types of fish, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has released a list of fish and their mercury levels so that people can be informed on what they are consuming. If you want to get more detailed information about mercury levels and how much you personally are consuming, you can also use the mercury thermometer to calculate your totals.

Highest Mercury
AVOID Eating

Grouper
Marlin
Orange roughy
Tilefish
Swordfish
Shark
Mackerel (king)

High Mercury
Eat no more than three 6-oz servings per month

Bass saltwater
Croaker
Halibut
Tuna (canned, white albacore)
Tuna (fresh bluefin, ahi)
Sea trout
Bluefish
Lobster (American/Maine)

LOWER MERCURY
Eat no more than six 6-oz servings per month

Carp
Mahi Mahi
Crab (dungeness)
Snapper
Crab (blue)
Herring
Crab (snow)
Monkfish
Perch (freshwater)
Skate
Cod*
Tuna (canned, chunk light)
Tuna (fresh Pacific albacore)

LOWEST MERCURY
Enjoy two 6-oz servings per week

Anchovies
Butterfish
Calamari (squid)
Caviar (farmed)
Crab (king)
Pollock
Catfish
Whitefish
Perch (ocean)
Scallops
Flounder
Haddock
Hake
Herring
Lobster (spiny/rock)
Shad
Sole
Crawfish/crayfish
Salmon
Shrimp
Clams
Tilapia
Oysters
Sardines
Sturgeon (farmed)
Trout (freshwater)
Chart obtained from the Natural Resource Defense Council (NRDC); data obtained by the FDA and the EPA.

Answer 2

Pregnant women, women trying to conceive, nursing mothers, and young children should not eat these fish. It's okay to eat other cooked fish/seafood as long as a variety of other kinds are selected during pregnancy or while a woman is trying to become pregnant. She can eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish. Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.

for detail check this site :
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~pregnant/fastf...

Here are some guidelines for eating fish:

* Do not eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish (also called golden or white snapper) because they contain high levels of mercury.
* Do eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury. Five commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish. Fish sticks and fast-food fish sandwiches are commonly made from fish that are low in mercury, so they are also usually safe to eat.
* Don't eat more than 6 ounces per week of canned albacore (white) tuna or tuna steaks because they have more mercury than canned light tuna. Eating oysters and clams may increase your risk for getting a harmful bacterial or viral infection. You should avoid eating them or make sure to boil them for at least 4 to 6 minutes (as you should do with all shellfish).
* Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught in local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish caught from local waters, but don't eat any other fish during that week.
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/wha/wha_d...

Answer 3

Limit canned tuna to 1 per week due to the mercury levels

You can also google for a mercury calculator

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html

Answer 4

depends on what type of fish it is, id stay away from shellfish, shark, tuna,sushi, raw oysters...its the fish with high levels of mercury u need to steer clear from.
best of luck!

Answer 5

With the exception of tuna and other mercury-risk ones, as much as you want, it's good for you! Salmon, sole, halibut ... yum. Eat up!

Answer 6

well they say you can only eat little fishes LOL no shark, no macrel, no swordfish no big fish but haddock salmon small fish is ok but limit yourself to 1lbs per week.(cooked no sushi :( bummed me out but i will survive) Good luck

Answer 7

I'm only 15wks pregnant and from the start my dr. told me i can only eat once or twice a week .......... cause we need to watch out for that mercury...............

Answer 8

12 ounces a week.