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Can I eat fried shrimp while pregnant?

Check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Fried shrimp, breaded, popcorn, coconut or tempura, shows Check in Doola Scan in all six countries: the check is how much fish and seafood you eat in a week. The FDA lists shrimp among its Best Choices, 2 to 3 servings a week of 4 ounces, and says shrimp is cooked when the flesh becomes firm, pearly and opaque. The NHS notes that frying can increase the fat content of shellfish, especially in batter. Canada and New Zealand set no weekly amount for low-mercury seafood.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Fried, breaded, popcorn or butterfly shrimp

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Coconut shrimp and shrimp tempura

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Fried shrimp po' boy

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

Fried shrimp while pregnant: what each country says.

Each country's own pregnancy guidance on fried shrimp, 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

  • 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 CanadaLow-mercury fish encouraged with no weekly amount; limit only fresh/frozen tuna, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy, escolar.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

  • New Zealand

    Check
    • Health NZMost commonly eaten NZ fish can be eaten freely; low-mercury species need no restriction.Source
What to check

Before you eat fried shrimp.

  1. Fry it until the flesh is pearly and opaque

    The FDA says shrimp is cooked when the flesh becomes firm, pearly and opaque, and most seafood should reach 145°F. Health Canada's chart gives 74°C (165°F) for shellfish. FDA

  2. Count shrimp in your weekly fish

    The FDA asks pregnant women to eat 2 to 3 servings a week from its Best Choices list, and shrimp is on it. A serving is 4 ounces, about the size of your palm. In Australia, Pregnancy, Birth and Baby says most fish and seafood no more than 2 to 3 times a week. FDA

  3. Have it fried some of the time

    The NHS says frying can increase the fat content of fish and shellfish, especially if they're cooked in batter, and suggests steamed, baked or grilled instead. NHS

  4. Chill leftovers fast and reheat them until steaming

    The UK Food Standards Agency asks for leftovers to go in the fridge within 2 hours, be eaten within 48 hours and be reheated only once, until steaming hot throughout. Food Standards Agency

Questions

About fried shrimp
in pregnancy.

Fried shrimp shows Check in Doola Scan in all six countries, not Avoid. The check is for the weekly seafood amount and for shrimp cooked through, firm and opaque.

Breaded shrimp, including frozen breaded shrimp, shows Check in all six countries. Cook it until hot all the way through: the FDA's number for most seafood is 145°F.

Coconut shrimp and shrimp tempura show Check in all six countries, like other fried shrimp. Eat them hot, soon after frying.

A shrimp po' boy shows Check in all six countries. The shrimp is fried, so the check is the weekly seafood amount.

Reheat it until steaming hot all the way through. The UK Food Standards Agency asks for leftovers eaten within 48 hours and reheated only once.

The NHS says cutting down on rich, spicy or fatty foods can ease heartburn and indigestion in pregnancy, as can eating smaller meals more often. If that doesn't help, it says to see your midwife or GP.

The guidance is the same in every trimester. Fried shrimp shows Check from the first weeks to the third trimester, for the same weekly seafood amount.

Yes. Take a photo of the plate, the menu or the label, and Doola Scan checks every ingredient against your country's pregnancy guidance. 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.