Can You Eat Salmon While Pregnant?

When you find out you are pregnant, you may wonder which foods are safe to eat and which to avoid. Fish is particularly tricky. While it has many health benefits and can support a growing baby's brain, some varieties carry potential dangers like mercury or bacterial contamination.

Salmon is a good choice when you are pregnant because it has a relatively low mercury content and no strong fishy taste that may turn you off if you experience food aversions during pregnancy. Find out how to enjoy this nutrient-rich fish safely while you are expecting.

Can You Eat Salmon While Pregnant?

Yes, you can eat fully-cooked salmon while pregnant. However, you cannot eat raw salmon and your servings should be limited to two to three times per week to avoid consuming too much mercury. Salmon provides a variety of nutrients during pregnancy. Take the following steps to enjoy salmon while keeping you and your baby safe.

• Only eat fully cooked salmon. Grilled, baked, sauteed, or broiled is the way to go. Cook your salmon until it is 145 degrees Fahrenheit in the center. "Smoked and raw salmon is not fully cooked and should not be eaten during pregnancy as it can lead to listeria infection," says Daniel Roshan, MD, FACOG, FACS, a New York City-based board-certified high-risk maternal-fetal OB-GYN. Listeria is a harmful form of bacteria found in refrigerated, ready-to-eat foods, including certain meats, poultry, unpasteurized dairy products, and seafood.
• Stick to two or three servings per week. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency recommend that pregnant people consume two to three servings weekly of lower-mercury fish, including salmon. Other low-mercury fish include cod, flounder, haddock, and tilapia. Consuming too much mercury while pregnant can harm your baby's cognitive development, so limit your intake of even lower-mercury fish varieties.
  

Benefits of Eating Salmon While Pregnant

When you enjoy fully-cooked salmon during pregnancy, you can boost your health and your baby's.

Salmon is rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid. "During pregnancy, there is a natural decline in DHA unless it is being added to the diet. As a result, only one-fourth of pregnant women are consuming adequate DHA for their child’s health," says Rachel McBryan, a registered dietitian in British Columbia.

"Salmon is an excellent source of DHA or omega 3 fatty acids, which have many benefits to developing the fetus as well as to the pregnancy," adds Roshan. "These benefits include possible positive impact on neurodevelopment in the fetus and infant, reduction in preterm delivery, and a possible decrease in pregnancy-induced hypertension."

Fatty fish like salmon and sardines are highest in omega-3s.

Infant neurodevelopment

DHA is necessary for brain growth and development. "It has been found that mothers who consume 8 to 12 ounces of fish a week had children with significantly higher IQ scores than those who did not," says McBryan.

Even getting in 4 to 6 ounces of fish a week might provide a brain boost. One study found that infants whose mothers consumed enough DHA during pregnancy had better cognitive skills at age 1.

Full-term delivery

It's important to aim for a full-term delivery. Making sure you eat enough seafood (two to three 4-ounce servings a week) may reduce your risk of delivering your baby too early. Salmon is a great choice because you can safely eat two to three servings per week, unlike other types of fish that need to be limited further or avoided altogether because of high mercury content.

It is also important to speak with a health care provider because many of the studies on this topic use omega-3 supplements rather than food sources. A provider can assist you in finding the right balance.

Blood pressure benefits

Eating omega-3-rich foods like salmon during pregnancy might help reduce the risk of hypertension, or high blood pressure. 

Hypertension can lead to preeclampsia, a serious and potentially fatal condition during pregnancy. So if you enjoy fish, it might be worth adding to your weekly meal plan along with other blood-pressure-friendly foods like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils.

It is also imperative that blood pressure be checked regularly during pregnancy. And no matter what you are eating, make sure you have regular prenatal appointments.