Susan Hepworth and Mitchell Goldstein, MD
New information on seafood consumption during pregnancy could have more mothers-to-be heading to the fish market.
Research reveals that children of mothers who eat seafood, as compared to those whose mothers do not, have:
- An average IQ of 7.7 points higher
- Higher attainment rate of milestones at six and 18 months
- No adverse effects even at the highest seafood consumption
levels.
The study looked at seafood consumption during pregnancy and early childhood for 102,944 mother-child pairs and 25,031 individual children. (1)
The findings build on existing nutritional wisdom. The Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans all advise pregnant women to eat two to three servings of seafood each week. (2)
Certain seafood that is low in mercury and high in omega-3 fatty acids are particularly healthy. These include:
- Salmon
- Anchovies
- Herring
- Sardines
- Freshwater trout
- Pacific mackerel
Other fish that are recommended but that do not have as much omega-3 fatty acids include:
- Shrimp
- Pollock
- Tilapia
- Cod
- Catfish
- Canned light tuna (no more than 6 oz per week of all tuna)
There are specific other guidelines for pregnant women to consume the best quality seafood. These should be followed. Larger predatory fish that are “on top of the food chain” such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, or tilefish can have excessive mercury and should be avoided. Uncooked or poorly cooked fish and shellfish may contain excessive bacteria and viruses. (3) These include
- Oysters
- Sushi
- Sashimi
- Lox
- Kippered herring
- Fish that is labeled as smoked or jerky
Local fist advisories or warnings should be followed, and all seafood should be cooked thoroughly. Fish is safest when the temperature is ~150 F and when it separates into opaque flakes. All shellfish should be cooked until their shells open and should not be eaten if the shell does not open. Finally, shrimp and lobster should be cooked until no longer translucent. (3)
Although there are other ways to introduce mega-3 fatty acids into the diet including certain foods like faxseed, canola oil, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and even soybeans, fish also contains significant amounts of Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA , which may be important in brain development. (3)
Nevertheless, many mothers-to-be avoid or under consume seafood. That may be because of persistent myths about prenatal fish consumption. Some misconceptions linger due to early government recommendations and revisions, which lacked concrete evidence and created confusion. Media have played a role, too, sensationalizing risks and downplaying proven benefits.
Today, however, an abundance of information enables agencies to make concrete, evidence-based nutritional recommendations. Pregnant women can make nutrition decisions based on two certainties: Fish and shellfish provide immense benefits to developing babies both before and after birth. Moreover, benefits increase as seafood consumption increases, though even the lowest levels of consumption can boost babies’ development.(4)
Mothers want to do what is best for their babies. With the help of precise data on prenatal fish consumption and a unified voice from nutritional authorities, more mothers will be able to do just that.
References:
- Joseph R. Hibbeln, Philip Spiller, J. Thomas Brenna, Jean Golding, Bruce J. Holub, William S. Harris, Penny KrisEtherton, Bill Lands, Sonja L. Connor, Gary Myers, J.J. Strain, Michael A Crawford, Susan E. Carlson. Relationships between seafood consumption during pregnancy and childhood and neurocognitive development: Two systematic reviews, Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, Volume 151, 2019, Pages 14-36, ISSN 0952-3278, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plefa.2019.10.002. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0952327819301929)
- Blogs — National Coalition for Infant Health. http://www.infanthealth.org/blogs
- Women’s Wellness: Eating fish during pregnancy – Mayo…. https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/womenswellness-eating-fish-during-pregnancy/
- Breastfeeding: Getting Started – EverydayFamily. https://www.everydayfamily.com/breastfeeding-getting-started/
Disclosures: The authors do not have any relevant disclosures.