Most fish are safe to eat in pregnancy, provided that you cook them properly.
Fresh, raw seafood is potentially risky because it can contain parasites, such as tapeworms. Tapeworms can make you ill and sap your body of the
nutrients that you and your baby need. If you're eating in a Japanese restaurant, ask for your fish to be well cooked. Japanese restaurants often lightly sear fish on the outside, then serve it rare.
Sushi sold in supermarkets is usually fine to eat. Even though it often contains raw fish, it will have been frozen beforehand which kills the tapeworm parasites. If you're buying sushi that's been freshly made in a
restaurant or shop, check with staff that they use raw fish that has been frozen.
Raw fish that has been smoked, such as smoked salmon and mackerel, is also safe for you to eat. Smoking the fish kills any parasites. Other methods, such as salting or pickling, also make raw fish safe to eat.
If you enjoy raw oysters, mussels and other shellfish, you'll need to stop eating these during pregnancy. Raw shellfish may be contaminated with harmful bacteria and viruses that can cause
food poisoning. You're more susceptible to food poisoning during pregnancy.
Food poisoning from raw fish won't harm your baby, but it can make you feel very unwell. However, if you thoroughly cook shellfish, this will kill any bacteria and viruses and make it safe to eat.
When you are cooking seafood at home, follow the guidelines below to make it safe to eat:
- If you are cooking whole fish or fillets, check that it's cooked by slipping the point of a sharp knife into the flesh and pulling it aside. The flesh should be opaque, with flakes beginning to separate.
- When you've taken the fish out the oven, or turned the heat off the hob, let it stand for three to four minutes to finish cooking.
- Prawns and lobster turn red when cooked, and the flesh becomes pearly opaque. Scallops appear milky white or opaque and firm.
- For clams, mussels, and oysters, watch for the point at which their shells open, which indicates that they're done. Throw out any that remain closed after cooking.
- When microwaving seafood, check several spots to ensure that it has cooked properly.
- You could use a food thermometer to check that your seafood has reached a temperature of at least 63 degrees C. Then you'll know for sure that it’s cooked and ready to eat.
When choosing oily fish, bear in mind that they can contain some environmental pollutants, such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and dioxins. So it's best that you don't have more than two portions a week.
Oily fish is good for you, so it's still important to include it in your meals. It contains omega 3 fatty acids and other vitamins and nutrients which are good for you and your developing baby. There are plenty of oily fish to choose from, such as:
- salmon
- trout
- mackerel
- herring
- sardines
- pilchards
- kipper
- eel
- whitebait
- fresh tuna
- anchovies
Bear in mind that you'll have to limit how much
tuna you eat to four medium-sized cans or two steaks per week. Tuna contains mercury, which won’t harm you, but too much can harm your baby's developing nervous system.
Shark, swordfish and marlin contain much higher levels of mercury, so you shouldn't eat these fish at all while you're pregnant.
http://www.babycentre.co.uk/pregnancy/nutrition/foodsafety/seafoodexpert/
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