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Can I eat shark while pregnant?

Avoid Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Shark shows Avoid in Doola Scan in the US, UK and Ireland and Check in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, because of its mercury. The FDA puts shark among its Choices to Avoid, and the NHS says not to eat shark in pregnancy because it contains more mercury than other fish. FSANZ allows one 150 g portion of shark (flake) a fortnight with no other fish that fortnight, Health Canada up to 150 g a month with other high-mercury fish, and Health NZ one serving of school shark every 1 to 2 weeks.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Shark steaks, grilled or fried

    AvoidUnited StatesUnited KingdomIrelandCheckCanadaAustraliaNew Zealand

  • Flake, as sold in Australian fish and chips

    AvoidUnited StatesUnited KingdomIrelandCheckCanadaAustraliaNew Zealand

  • Rock salmon, huss and dogfish

    AvoidUnited StatesUnited KingdomIrelandCheckCanadaAustraliaNew Zealand

  • Shark fin soup

    AvoidUnited StatesUnited KingdomIrelandCheckCanadaAustraliaNew Zealand
Doola Scan checking a plate
What each country says

Shark while pregnant: what each country says.

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

  • United States

    Avoid
    • 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
    • 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

  • United Kingdom

    Avoid
    • 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
    • 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

  • Canada

    Check
    • 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
    • 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

  • Australia

    Check
    • 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
    • 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

  • New Zealand

    Check
    • 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
    • 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

  • Ireland

    Avoid
    • FSAIPregnant women and women of childbearing age should not eat swordfish, marlin or shark.Source
    • HSEAvoid shark, swordfish and marlin.Source
What to check

Before you eat shark.

  1. In the US, UK and Ireland, choose another fish

    The FDA lists shark among its Choices to Avoid, the fish with the highest mercury levels. The NHS says not to eat shark if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant, and Ireland's FSAI says pregnant women should not eat swordfish, marlin or shark. FDA

  2. In Australia, one portion of flake a fortnight

    FSANZ says pregnant women can have one 150 g portion of shark (flake) a fortnight, with no other fish that fortnight. In New Zealand, Health NZ says one serving of school shark every 1 to 2 weeks. FSANZ

  3. In Canada, keep it to 150 g a month

    Health Canada advises pregnant women to eat no more than 150 g a month of fresh or frozen tuna, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy and escolar, all combined. Health Canada

Questions

About shark
in pregnancy.

Because of mercury. The NHS says shark contains more mercury than other fish, and the FDA puts it among the fish with the highest mercury levels.

Flake is shark. It shows Check in Australia, where FSANZ allows one 150 g portion a fortnight with no other fish that fortnight.

Doola Scan reads rock salmon, huss and dogfish as shark: Avoid in the US, UK and Ireland, and Check in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. In New Zealand, MPI lists dogfish, though not rig, among the fish to limit.

Shark fin soup shows the same as shark: Avoid in the US, UK and Ireland and Check in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, for mercury.

The FDA lists shark among its Choices to Avoid. It suggests 2 to 3 servings a week from its Best Choices list, which includes salmon, shrimp and cod.

The guidance is about what you eat from now on: leave shark out in the US, UK and Ireland, and stay within the limit in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. If you're worried, talk to your midwife or doctor.

Shark (سمك القرش) shows Avoid in Doola Scan in the US, UK and Ireland and Check in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, because of its mercury.

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.
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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.