Certain types of cooked sushi such as eel and California rolls are safe to eat when pregnant. However, raw fish should also be avoided during pregnancy because it may contain parasites such as flukes or worms
Fish and seafood can be an important part of a balanced diet for pregnant women and those of childbearing age who may become pregnant. Nonetheless, some large long-lived fish contain high levels of a form of mercury called methyl mercury that may potentially harm an unborn baby's developing nervous system.
The following 3 tables provide the mean and range of mercury levels in a variety of fish and shellfish
SPECIES | MEAN (PPM) | RANGE (PPM) |
---|---|---|
Shark | 0.988 | ND - 4.54 |
Tilefish (Gulf of Mexico) | 1.45 | 0.65-3.73 |
Swordfish | 0.976 | ND - 3.22 |
King mackerel | 0.73 | 0.23 - 1.67 |
PPM=parts per million
ND=Not detectable - mercury concentration below detection level (Level of Detection (LOD)=0.01ppm)
SPECIES | MEAN (PPM) | RANGE (PPM) |
---|---|---|
Bass (Chilean) | 0.386 | 0.085 - 2.180 |
Mackerel Spanish (Gulf of Mexico) | 0.454 | 0.070 - 1.560 |
Halibut | 0.252 | ND -1.520 |
Snapper | 0.189 | ND - 1.366 |
Lobster Northern (American) | 0.31 | 0.05 - 1.31 |
Tuna all (Fresh or frozen) | 0.383 | ND - 1.30 |
Grouper (All species) | 0.465 | 0.053 - 1.205 |
Monkfish | 0.180 | 0.020 - 1.020 |
Bass (Sea bass/ Striped Bass/ Rockfish) |
0.219 | ND - 0.960 |
Orange Roughy | 0.554 | 0.296 - 0.855 |
PPM=parts per million
ND=Not detectable - mercury concentration below detection level (Level of Detection (LOD)=0.01ppm)
SPECIES | MEAN (PPM) | RANGE (PPM) |
---|---|---|
Tuna (canned) | 0.118 | ND - 0.852 |
Pollock | 0.041 | ND - 0.78 |
Trout Seawater | 0.256 | ND - 0.744 |
Sablefish | 0.220 | ND - 0.700 |
Trout Freshwater | 0.072 | ND - 0.678 |
Crab (Blue, King, and Snow) | 0.060 | ND- 0.610 |
Cod | 0.095 | ND - 0.420 |
Squid/td> | 0.070 | ND - 0.400 |
Anchovies | 0.043 | ND - 0.340 |
Catfish | 0.049 | ND - 0.314 |
Carp | 0.14 | 0.01 - 0.27 |
Oysters | 0.013 | ND - 0.250 |
Scallop | 0.050 | ND - 0.22 |
Salmon (Fresh or frozen) | 0.014 | ND - 0.190 |
Herring | 0.044 | ND - 0.135 |
Tilapia | 0.010 | ND - 0.070 |
Crawfish | 0.033 | ND - 0.051 |
Clam | ND | ND |
Shrimp | ND | ND |
Salmon (Canned) | ND | ND |
Clam | ND | ND |
PPM=parts per million
ND=Not detectable - mercury concentration below detection level (Level of Detection (LOD)=0.01ppm)