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Can I eat tilapia while pregnant?

Check Doola Scan's answer in the United States

Tilapia cooked through, baked, grilled, steamed or fried, shows Check in Doola Scan in all six countries: it counts towards your weekly fish. The FDA lists tilapia among its Best Choices, its lowest-mercury group, at 2 to 3 servings a week. Health Canada sets no weekly amount for low-mercury fish, and Health NZ says most commonly eaten fish can be eaten freely. Australia suggests most fish 2 to 3 times a week, and the NHS's weekly limits are for oily fish and tuna.

Checked against Doola Scan's pregnancy rules · Updated

  • Tilapia fillets, baked, grilled or steamed

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Fried tilapia, including pritong tilapia

    CheckIn all six countries

  • Tilapia in soups and stews, such as sinigang

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

Tilapia while pregnant: what each country says.

Each country's own pregnancy guidance on tilapia, 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 tilapia.

  1. Cook it until it flakes

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

  2. Count tilapia in your weekly fish

    The FDA asks pregnant women to eat 2 to 3 servings a week from its Best Choices list, and tilapia 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 fried fish 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 fish instead. NHS

Questions

About tilapia
in pregnancy.

The guidance is the same in every trimester. Tilapia cooked through shows Check from the first weeks to the third trimester, within the weekly fish amount.

Fried tilapia shows Check in all six countries, the same as baked or grilled. The NHS notes that frying can increase the fat content of fish, especially in batter.

The FDA puts tilapia on its Best Choices list, its lowest-mercury group. Health Canada limits only fresh or frozen tuna, shark, swordfish, marlin, orange roughy and escolar.

The FDA lists tilapia among its Best Choices for pregnancy. The FDA says fish supply omega-3 fats, iron, iodine and choline, which support a baby's brain development, as well as protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D and selenium.

In the US, the FDA's Best Choices, tilapia included, are 2 to 3 servings a week of 4 ounces each. Australia says most fish and seafood no more than 2 to 3 times a week. Health Canada and Health NZ set no weekly amount for low-mercury fish.

Tilapia cooked through shows Check in Doola Scan in all six countries we cover, for the weekly fish amount.

Tilapia, fried as pritong tilapia or in sinigang, shows Check in all six countries, for the weekly fish amount. The FDA lists tilapia among its Best Choices, 2 to 3 servings a week.

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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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.