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Can I eat fish while pregnant?

Check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Cooked fish such as cod, haddock, tilapia, pollock and salmon shows Check in Doola Scan in all six countries: the check is how much fish you eat in a week. The FDA lists these among its Best Choices, 2 to 3 servings a week, and the NHS suggests 2 portions a week, one of them oily. The countries differ on high-mercury fish: swordfish, shark and king mackerel show Avoid in the US, UK and Ireland and Check in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, which set limits instead. Raw fish, as in sushi, shows Avoid in all six.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Cooked white fish: cod, haddock, pollock, flounder or tilapia

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Cooked salmon and other oily fish

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Red snapper, an FDA Good Choice

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

Fish while pregnant: what each country says.

Each country's own pregnancy guidance on fish, 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
    • FDAFish is recommended but amounts limit mercury exposure.Source
    • FDAEat 2 to 3 servings (4 oz each) a week from Best Choices (salmon, sardines, herring, Atlantic mackerel); king mackerel is avoid.Source
    • FDAHigher mercury than Best Choices.Source
    High-mercury fish: swordfish, shark and king mackerel
    • ACOGDo not eat shark, swordfish, marlin, bigeye tuna, king mackerel, orange roughy or tilefish.Source
    • FDAFDA/EPA: those who might become or are pregnant should not eat "Choices to Avoid" fish (shark, swordfish, marlin and others).Source
    • FDAHighest mercury levels; can affect a baby's developing brain.Source
    Raw fish, as in sushi or sashimi
    • FDAPregnant people should avoid raw fish, partially cooked seafood and refrigerated smoked seafood.Source
    • FoodSafety.gov (HHS)Avoid raw sushi, sashimi and ceviche; cook seafood to 145°F.Source
    Cold-smoked fish such as lox
    • FDAAvoid smoked fish unless reheated until steaming hot.Source
    • FDARefrigerated smoked seafood can carry listeria.Source
    • FoodSafety.gov (HHS)Refrigerated smoked seafood only in a cooked dish reaching 165°F; canned or shelf-stable is OK.Source
    • USDA FSISAvoid refrigerated smoked seafood that is not canned, shelf-stable or fully cooked.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
    • NHSOily fish can contain pollutants that build up in the body.Source
    • NHSTrying for a baby or pregnant: no more than 4 cans or 2 tuna steaks a week; other species not limited.Source
    High-mercury fish: swordfish, shark and king mackerel
    • NHSThese fish can contain high mercury, which can affect a baby's nervous system.Source
    • NHSDo not eat shark, swordfish or marlin if pregnant or trying to get pregnant.Source
    Raw fish, as in sushi or sashimi
    • NHSRaw fish can carry listeria and parasites.Source
    Cold-smoked fish such as lox
    • FSAAvoid ready-to-eat cold-smoked or cured fish; cooked until steaming hot, or tinned, is a safer alternative.Source
    • NHSCold-smoked and cured fish can carry listeria.Source
    • NHSCold-smoked and cured fish (e.g. smoked salmon) must be cooked until steaming hot.Source

  • Canada

    Check
    • Health CanadaLow-mercury fish encouraged with no weekly amount; limit only fresh/frozen tuna, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy, escolar.Source
    • Health CanadaLow-mercury oily fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, trout) encouraged; no weekly cap.Source
    • Health CanadaCanned albacore tuna up to 300 g a week; other moderate fish not limited.Source
    High-mercury fish: swordfish, shark and king mackerel
    • CPSAvoid higher-mercury fish such as shark, swordfish and fresh or frozen tuna.Source
    • Health CanadaShark, swordfish, marlin allowed up to 150 g/month combined with other listed fish (UK: avoid).Source
    • Health CanadaPregnant, could become pregnant or breastfeeding: fresh/frozen tuna, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy, escolar max 150 g per month.Source
    Raw fish, as in sushi or sashimi
    • CPSAvoid raw fish in pregnancy.Source
    • Health CanadaAvoid raw seafood such as sushi; cook seafood to 74 °C (165 °F).Source
    Cold-smoked fish such as lox
    • CPSAvoid refrigerated smoked seafood and fish.Source
    • Health CanadaRefrigerated smoked fish/seafood fine only if cooked (e.g. casserole) or canned/shelf-stable.Source
    • Health CanadaAvoid refrigerated smoked seafood; canned or shelf-stable smoked seafood is the safer alternative.Source

  • Australia

    Check
    • 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
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Fish not high in mercury no more than 2 to 3 times a week; no separate oily-fish limit.Source
    • FSANZ1 portion (150 g) a week of orange roughy or catfish and no other fish that week.Source
    High-mercury fish: swordfish, shark and king mackerel
    • Better Health Channel (Victoria)Limit fish with high mercury when pregnant or planning.Source
    • FSANZPregnant/planning: shark (flake), swordfish/broadbill, marlin ≤1 portion (150 g) per fortnight and no other fish that fortnight.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Shark (flake), swordfish/broadbill and marlin: no more than 150 g in 2 weeks, with no other fish then.Source
    • FSANZShark/billfish ≤150 g per fortnight (no other fish); orange roughy/catfish ≤150 g per week (no other fish).Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Shark, swordfish and marlin: no more than 150 g in 2 weeks; orange roughy and catfish no more than once a week.Source
    Raw fish, as in sushi or sashimi
    • Better Health Channel (Victoria)Avoid sashimi and sushi.Source
    • FSANZAvoid raw/chilled RTE seafood: oysters, sushi, sashimi, ceviche. PBB: safest sushi is homemade.Source
    • NSW Food AuthorityDo not eat store-bought sushi; home-made without raw fish is OK.Source
    • NSW HealthDo not eat raw seafood.Source
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)No raw or ready-to-eat fish such as sashimi and sushi.Source
    Cold-smoked fish such as lox
    • Pregnancy, Birth and Baby (Australian Government Dept of Health)Do not eat ready-to-eat smoked salmon.Source
    • Better Health Channel (Victoria)Avoid smoked seafood that will not be further cooked.Source
    • FSANZAvoid smoked seafood unless freshly cooked or reheated steaming hot.Source
    • NSW HealthSmoked seafood only if cooked and served hot.Source
    • Better Health Channel (Victoria)Avoid smoked seafood such as salmon; canned is safe.Source
    • FSANZSmoked seafood: freshly cooked or reheated steaming hot.Source

  • New Zealand

    Check
    • Health NZMost commonly eaten NZ fish can be eaten freely; low-mercury species need no restriction.Source
    • Health NZNo pollutant-based oily fish cap; farmed salmon and mackerel 3-4 servings a week, sardines and anchovy unrestricted.Source
    • Health NZLonger-lived fish (snapper, albacore, farmed salmon, kahawai, red cod, ling) less than 3-4 times a week.Source
    High-mercury fish: swordfish, shark and king mackerel
    • MPI (NZ Food Safety)Limit (not avoid): cardinalfish, dogfish (not rig), school shark, marlin, southern bluefin tuna, swordfish, geothermal lake trout.Source
    • Health NZSwordfish, marlin, school shark, southern bluefin tuna: one serving per 1-2 weeks; orange roughy no restriction.Source
    Raw fish, as in sushi or sashimi
    • Health NZUnsafe for pregnant people: raw oysters, sashimi, sushi and other chilled seafood.Source
    Cold-smoked fish such as lox
    • Health NZAvoid smoked ready-to-eat seafood.Source
    • Health NZChilled smoked or pre-cooked fish and seafood: don't eat unless heated until piping hot; canned fish OK.Source

  • Ireland

    Check
    High-mercury fish: swordfish, shark and king mackerel
    • FSAIPregnant women and women of childbearing age should not eat swordfish, marlin or shark.Source
    • HSEAvoid shark, swordfish and marlin.Source
    Raw fish, as in sushi or sashimi
    • HSEAvoid raw or smoked fish, including sushi.Source
    Cold-smoked fish such as lox
    • HSEAvoid raw or smoked fish.Source
    • HSEAvoid ready-to-eat cold-smoked or cured fish unless cooked until steaming hot.Source
What to check

Before you eat fish.

  1. Cook fish to 145°F, until it flakes

    FoodSafety.gov asks pregnant women to cook seafood to 145°F. In Australia, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby asks for fish cooked to at least 63°C and eaten straight away. FoodSafety.gov

  2. Count fish in your week

    The FDA asks pregnant women to eat 2 to 3 servings a week from its Best Choices, which include cod, haddock, pollock, flounder, tilapia and salmon. A serving is 4 ounces. The NHS asks for no more than 2 portions of oily fish, such as salmon or mackerel, a week. FDA

  3. Skip or limit swordfish, shark and king mackerel

    The FDA puts king mackerel, shark and swordfish among its Choices to Avoid, and the NHS says to avoid shark, swordfish and marlin. Health Canada allows up to 150 g a month of these fish, and FSANZ one 150 g portion a fortnight with no other fish that fortnight. FDA

  4. Leave out raw and cold-smoked fish, or cook it

    The NHS lists raw fish as a food to avoid, and asks for cold-smoked fish like smoked salmon to be cooked until steaming hot. Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says not to eat ready-to-eat smoked salmon. NHS

Questions

About fish
in pregnancy.

Cooked cod shows Check in Doola Scan in all six countries, and the check is the weekly amount. The FDA lists cod among its Best Choices, its lowest-mercury group, at 2 to 3 servings a week.

All three show Check in all six countries, cooked. Each is on the FDA's Best Choices list, so they count towards the same 2 to 3 servings a week as cod and salmon.

Cooked tilapia shows Check in all six countries, like other Best Choices fish. Health Canada encourages low-mercury fish in pregnancy and sets no weekly amount for them.

Red snapper shows Check in all six countries. The FDA puts snapper among its Good Choices, which it suggests as 1 serving a week. Health NZ names snapper among longer-lived fish to eat less than 3 to 4 times a week.

Lox shows Check in the US, UK and Canada and Avoid in Australia, New Zealand and Ireland. The NHS asks for cold-smoked fish cooked until steaming hot, and Health Canada accepts smoked fish that is canned, shelf-stable or cooked in a dish.

The FDA says fish supply omega-3 fats, iron, iodine and choline, which support a baby's brain development, plus protein, vitamin B12 and selenium. The NHS suggests 2 portions of fish a week in pregnancy, one of them oily, such as salmon, sardines or mackerel.

Raw fish, as in sushi or sashimi, shows Avoid in all six countries. Swordfish, shark and king mackerel show Avoid in the US, UK and Ireland, while Canada, Australia and New Zealand set limits on them instead.

Yes. Take a photo of the plate, the menu or the pack, and Doola Scan reads the fish and every other ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance. 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.