During pregnancy, your baby gets most of his or her food from the foods you eat and vitamins you take. Omega-3 fatty acids (omega-3s) are an important family of building blocks needed during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The two most important omega-3s are DHA and EPA. These are known and essential fatty acids as our bodies cannot manufacture them, so we have to get them from our diet.
Omega-3s are important to health. They can lower blood pressure and reduce heart diseases and other health problems. Omega-3s affect fetal development of neural tissue, including brain development. Consuming omega-3s during pregnancy can lower your baby's chances of developing asthma, eczema and other allergic conditions. They also may lower your risk of preterm delivery and postpartum depression.
Because of mercury contamination of our oceans, rivers, and lakes, almost all fish contain some mercury. Some fish contain too much mercury. Some fish may also have other toxins such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dioxin from industrial pollution. High amounts of mercury and PCBs in your body can cause impaired neurologic development of your baby, so fish with high levels of these poisons should not be eaten during pregnancy. The food and Drug Administration recommends you check local advisories on the safety of fish from local waters. Fish advisories are available from your local health department and online from state agencies.
HOWEVER, the health benefits of eating low-mercury fish during pregnancy outweigh the risks, so DO eat safe fish during pregnancy and while you are breastfeeding. Choose fish that are low in mercury. Remove skin and fat before cooking. Baking, broiling, steaming, or grilling fish lets the fat drain away and reduces PCBs in fish. Do not eat raw fish or shellfish.
Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding should get about 1000 mg of omega-3s per day. Because omega-3s stay in the body for a few days, eating two servings of fatty fish per week can give you the 200 to 300 mg per day that you need. One serving is a 6-ounce portion of cooked fish. If you do not eat fish, or do not want to eat it every week, you can get fish oil as a pill or liquid you can swallow. Purified fish oil in pills or liquid form have all PCBs and dioxin removed. Read the label carefully to make sure there are at least 1000 mg of omega-3s. Fish oil pills can cause stomach upset, nausea and bloating; some women say they have a fishy aftertaste with burping. Freezing them before consumption often helps reduce such side effects. Cod liver oil is a good source of O3FA, however, if taken regularly can cause excess intake of the other vitamin it contains, vitamin A.
Eat at least two 6-ounce servings of omega-3 fish per week, except where indicated. Foods are listed in amounts of omega-3s from highest to lowest. During weeks when you do not eat enough fish, take fish oil supplements. Look for fish oil supplements that are purified because they are the safest.
High sources of omega-3s (about 700 mg or more per serving): Salmon, Halibut, Rainbow trout, Canned light tuna, Atlantic herring, Pollock, Whitefish
Moderate sources of omega-3s (about 150 to 699 mg per serving): Canned tuna, white albacore (limit to 1 serving per week while you are pregnant or breastfeeding), Catfish, Alaskan king crab, Flounder for sole, Shrimp, Atlantic cod, Canned blue crabmeat, Omega-3 enriched eggs
Do NOT eat the following fish while you are pregnant: Swordfish, Tilefish (also called golden bass or golden snapper), King mackerel, Shark, Tuna steaks (fresh or frozen), Marlin, Spanish mackerel, Orange roughy, Raw fish because, in general, they contain too much mercury.
