Facts About Fish

Eating fish is healthful, particularly during pregnancy. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent some heart problems. During pregnancy, this substance may help prevent pregnancy induced hypertension and pre-eclampsia, which are both greater risks for older pregnant women.

Women who eat a variety of fish during pregnancy have longer pregnancies and give birth to babies with higher birth weights, according to some studies. This is important because the longer a baby stays in the uterus, the better its chances of being strong and healthy at delivery.
Many fish are safe to eat, and you should include them in your diet. Most fish is low in fat and high in vitamin B, iron, zinc, selenium and copper. Many fish choices are an excellent healthful addition to your diet, and you can eat them as often as you like.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Some researchers believe eating fatty fish or ingesting omega-3 fatty acids in another form (such as fish-oil capsules) may enhance your baby's intellectual development. Studies have shown that fish oil is important to fetal neurological development. One study of pregnant women demonstrated that when a pregnant woman eats fish oil, it reaches the brain of the developing fetus.

Include omega-3 fatty acids in your eating plan, but don't exceed 2.4 grams a day. Fish high in these oils are salmon, mackerel and herring.

Some Cautions about Fish
Methyl-Mercury Poisoning.
Some fish are contaminated with a dangerous substance as the result of pollution. People who eat these fish are at risk of methyl-mercury poisoning. Mercury is a naturally occurring substance as well as a pollution by-product. Mercury becomes a problem when it is released into the air as a pollutant. It settles into the oceans and from there winds up in some types of fish.

The FDA has determined that a certain level of methyl mercury in fish is dangerous for humans. We know methyl mercury can pass from mother to fetus across the placenta. Research has shown that 60,000 children born each year are at risk of developing neurological problems linked to the consumption of seafood by the mothers to be. Because of rapid brain development, a fetus may be more vulnerable to methyl-mercury poisoning.

Studies indicate that pregnant women and those trying to conceive should not eat some kinds of fish more than once a month. These fish include shark, swordfish and tuna (fresh or frozen). If you're nursing, limit your consumption to once a week. Canned tuna is a little safer, but don't eat more than one 6-ounce can a week.

Some freshwater fish may also be risky to eat, such as walleye and pike. To be on the safe side, consult local or state authorities for any advisories on eating freshwater fish in your area.

Other Pollutants.
Other environmental pollutants can appear in fish. Dioxin and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) are found in some fish, such as bluefish or lake trout; avoid them.
Parasites, bacteria, viruses and toxins can also contaminate fish.

Eating infected fish can make you sick, sometimes severely so. Sushi and ceviche are fish dishes that could contain viruses or parasites. Raw shellfish, if contaminated, could cause hepatitis A, cholera or gastroenteritis. Avoid all raw fish during pregnancy!

Other fish to avoid during pregnancy include some found in warm tropical waters, especially Florida, the Caribbean and Hawaii.

Avoid the following "local" fish from those areas: amberjack, barracuda, bluefish, grouper, mahi mahi, snapper and fresh tuna.

If you are unsure about whether you should eat a particular fish or if you want further information, call the Food and Drug Administration on its toll-free telephone hotline: 800-332-4010.