Recommendations for fish consumption during pregnancy.

The benefits of fish consumption in pregnant women and children are well known. However, it has been described that the ingestion of methylmercury (MeHg) in pregnancy, mainly through contaminated fish and shellfish, can produce detrimental effects on the development of the nervous system in the fetus and newborn.

In the aquatic mercury cycle, once this toxic element has been deposited in river or sea water, it is transformed into methylmercury (MeHg) by the action of certain sulfate-reducing bacteria and bioaccumulates in aquatic organisms, mainly in fish and shellfish, and is incorporated into the food trophic chain.

The main recommendation is to exclude large fish from the diet.

Fish is an important source of nutrients such as long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, high quality proteins, selenium (Se) and vitamin D, among others. However, the main source of exposure to methylmercury is the consumption of wild fish - not farmed fish - and contaminated shellfish. The fish with the highest mercury content are large predatory fish, which eat smaller fish contaminated with mercury, such as: Swordfish - Tuna - Marlin.

Other fish that also contain methylmercury although in smaller quantities are: bonito, eel, mullet, Chilean pink, ray.

During pregnancy we recommend eating small fish.

During pregnancy you can eat without any problem, such as cod, sardines, anchovies, salmon, squid and shellfish.

In general, small fish are ideal. It should also be noted that selenium prevents methylmercury from exerting its biological function, so fish that have a lot of selenium such as tuna may be less toxic in the end than those less rich in selenium. It should also be noted that fruit, vegetables, fiber-rich foods and garlic decrease the absorption of mercury in the intestine.

In Pescatore SeaFood we have for you, if you are pregnant we recommend: Very low mercury: Pollock, Salmon, Shrimp and low mercury: Scallops and Squid.