RSS
Home
Pregnant women and fish consumption: the guidelines are not common knowledge
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Yellowfin tuna: Source Wikipedia
Fresh fish is one of the gastronomic delights of the Bay Area, and restaurants capitalizing on our local bounty are plentiful. For example, Friday night I enjoyed a fantastic tilapia sandwich dock-side at Fish in Sausalito, and this evening my husband and I celebrated Father’s Day dinner with perfect sashimi at Sushi-Ko, in Larkspur
While fish is an excellent dinner choice because it is delicious, low in calories, and packed with nutrients, women of reproductive age must be careful with their selection. Mercury, a toxin for everyone but more so for the developing fetus, can accumulate in larger, fatty fish. As a result, women who may become pregnant and those who are already pregnant should limit their consumption of fish likely to be high in mercury.
The fish advisories are as follows:
- No shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish (these fish all have high levels of mercury
- Up to 12 ounces (2 average servings) a week of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury, such as shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish. Canned albacore or "white" tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna, so albacore tuna is limited to one 6 ounce meal per week
- Exercise caution with fish caught in lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces per week, but don't consume any other fish during that week.
Are women aware of these guidelines? Not according to a study published last month (May 2009) in The Journal of Reproductive Medicine. More than 450 women between the ages of 18 and 50 were surveyed about the risks of fish consumption and the guidelines; 47% were aware there was an advisory, but more than 50% of those women had problems naming the specific fish to avoid. Even more concerning, 40% of pregnant women did not know about fish-related mercury hazards.
Even though more than half of the women surveyed were unaware of the guidelines, their risks were low as less than 3% were eating fish more than twice a week. However, if my weekend is any example more than 3% of reproductive aged women in the Bay Area are probably eating fish three or more times a week.
The guidelines do not mean giving up fish altogether. Far from it - fish are an essential source of the omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and EPA. There are plenty of delicious and healthy low-mercury choices: salmon, sardines, and trout to name a few. Just be careful with the tuna and pass on the swordfish.
For more info: Environmental Protection Agency fish advisories.
Remember, this column does not constitute individual medical advice
More About:
Pregnancy
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
Tiger Woods self-described transgressions appear to be multiplying, apparently ten women and counting. Many of his paramours report Tiger did not …
Tiger Woods’ accident early Sunday morning has pointed the spotlight firmly on the duplicity of domestic violence. There are three possibilities …
