Fish: Healthy to Eat During Pregnancy?

Fish and seafood can be beneficial to infant brain development during pregnancy, despite fears of mercury and its effect on an infant’s nervous system, Reuters reports.

Fish and seafood include omega-3 fatty acids, known to aid brain development of an infant, a benefit that outweighs the concern of mercury contamination. Mercury contamination can harm the nervous system of fetuses, according to experts.

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The nutrients in fish and seafood can also help with motor skill development in children and prevent postpartum depression in mothers, said experts, who recommended a minimum of 12 ounces per week. Options include salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel and seafood like shrimp, lobster and clams.

This amount contradicts prior warnings by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that pregnant women should not consume more than 12 ounces of fish and seafood per week.