Is it safe for women to eat fish while pregnant?
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently issued a consumer advisory about the dangers of eating fish for nursing mothers and women who are or who may become pregnant. The risk of eating fish for these women is due to methylmercury, a naturally occurring element in the environment as well as a byproduct of industrial pollution. Mercury poses a danger to the developing fetus, nursing infant, and young child. Nearly all fish contain trace amounts of mercury, but only the long-lived, larger fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tile fish that eat other fish accumulate the highest levels of mercury. The FDA therefore advises that pregnant or nursing women can safely eat 12 ounces per week of cooked fish if they select the smaller fish and eat a variety of fish. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also recommends that pregnant women and young children limit their consumption of freshwater fish caught by family and friends to no more than one meal per
