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Can I eat catfish while pregnant?

Check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Catfish cooked through, fried, baked or blackened, shows Check in Doola Scan in all six countries: the check is how much fish you eat in a week, and the countries set that differently. The FDA lists catfish among its Best Choices, 2 to 3 servings a week of 4 ounces. Australia is stricter: Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says catfish no more than once a week, with no other fish that week. Health Canada limits only fresh or frozen tuna, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy and escolar.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Fried catfish, cornmeal-crusted or battered

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Baked, grilled or blackened catfish fillets

    CheckIn all six countries
Doola Scan checking a plate
What each country says

Catfish while pregnant: what each country says.

Each country's own pregnancy guidance on catfish, with a link to it. Doola Scan uses your country's first.

  • Doola has no source from Ireland on this yet; its answer comes from the other countries' guidance.

  • United States

    Check
    • FDAOrange roughy is a Choice to Avoid (highest mercury).Source
    • FDAFish is recommended but amounts limit mercury exposure.Source

  • United Kingdom

    Check
    • NHSTrying for a baby or pregnant: max 2 oily fish portions (140g) a week; tuna max 4 cans or 2 steaks a week.Source

  • Canada

    Check
    • Health CanadaOrange roughy: up to 150 g a month (pregnant, may become pregnant, breastfeeding); children 1-4: 75 g a month.Source
    • Health CanadaLow-mercury fish encouraged with no weekly amount; limit only fresh/frozen tuna, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy, escolar.Source

  • Australia

    Check
    • FSANZThese fish are higher in mercury, which can affect a developing baby or young child.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Orange roughy (deep-sea perch) and catfish no more than once a week, with no other fish that week.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Other fish or seafood no more than 2 to 3 times a week (150 g serve).Source

  • New Zealand

    Check
    • Health NZOrange roughy listed as needing no restriction; catfish not listed.Source
    • Health NZMost commonly eaten NZ fish can be eaten freely; low-mercury species need no restriction.Source
What to check

Before you eat catfish.

  1. In the US, count it in your 2 to 3 servings a week

    The FDA puts catfish on its Best Choices list and asks pregnant women to eat 2 to 3 servings a week from that list. A serving is 4 ounces, about the size of your palm. FDA

  2. In Australia, have catfish once a week at most

    Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says catfish and orange roughy no more than once a week, with no other fish that week. FSANZ says these fish are higher in mercury, which can affect a developing baby. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby

  3. Cook it until it flakes

    The FDA says most seafood should reach 145°F inside, and fish is done when the flesh is clear and separates easily with a fork. Health Canada asks for fish cooked to 70°C (158°F). FDA

Questions

About catfish
in pregnancy.

The FDA lists catfish among its Best Choices for pregnancy, the lower-mercury group it suggests eating 2 to 3 times a week. It says fish supply protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D and selenium, and nutrients that support a baby's brain development.

The countries disagree, so we show both. The FDA puts catfish in its Best Choices, its lowest-mercury group. FSANZ in Australia lists catfish with orange roughy as fish higher in mercury, and suggests one serve a week with no other fish that week.

Fried catfish shows Check in all six countries, the same as baked or grilled. Frying cooks it through, so the check is the weekly amount. The NHS notes that fatty foods are high in calories and suggests eating them less often.

The guidance is the same in every trimester. Catfish shows Check from the first weeks to the third trimester, for the same weekly fish amount in your country.

In the US, 2 to 3 servings of 4 ounces a week from the FDA's Best Choices, catfish included. In Australia, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says once a week with no other fish that week. Health Canada and Health NZ set no weekly amount for low-mercury fish.

The NHS sets weekly limits for oily fish and tuna in pregnancy, and its list doesn't name catfish. Health NZ says most commonly eaten fish in New Zealand can be eaten freely, and its mercury table doesn't list catfish. Doola Scan shows Check in all three, for the weekly fish amount.

Ikan lele is catfish. Cooked through, fried or grilled, it shows Check in Doola Scan in all six countries, for the weekly fish amount. The FDA lists catfish as a Best Choice, and Australia says no more than once a week.

Yes. Take a photo of the plate, the menu or the pack, and Doola Scan checks every ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance, with your country's weekly fish amount. Food scans are free, 3 a day.
Doola Scan

Not sure about a meal? Scan it.

Point Doola at a plate, a menu or a label. It checks every ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance and shows its sources. Food scans are free, 3 a day.

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Doola shows what official guidance says; it never diagnoses. No known issues means none of these countries' pregnancy guidance names it, not a promise that a food is safe.