Can pregnant women eat shrimp? Pregnant women can definitely eat shrimp as it won’t hurt them. The Federal Drug Administration, (FDA) states that shrimp can provide pregnant and breastfeeding women with all the necessary nutrients for the baby growth and development. There are some seafoods that you may to want to avoid if you are pregnant particularly the ones that have mercury.
Can pregnant women eat shrimp? iStock-photo credit: Fudio
Those types of seafood that are high in mercury are:
- Shark
- Orange Roughy
- Mackerel
- Tuna
Some of the seafood that contains minimal mercury that is acceptable to eat if you are pregnant:
- Catfish
- Trout
- Tilapia
- Cod
- Salmon
- Canned Tuna
This seafood contain mercury but just not as much and the general guideline is pregnant women should not eat more than 8 to 12 ounces of seafood per week.
Some of the biggest benefits of eating shrimp or any type of healthy seafood for a pregnant woman is the Omega 3 fatty acids. Research studies show that Omega 3 fatty acids can reduce the risk of preterm birth when consumed during pregnancy.
Omega 3’s are important for fetal brain and eye development. Some of the other nutrients that eating seafood provides are protein, iron, Vitamin B-2, Vitamin D, iron, magnesium, potassium, etc.
The only thing about eating shrimp if you are pregnant is to be careful of eating raw shrimp. Undercooked shrimp can potentially give your body a foodborne illness.
To avoid eating raw shrimp you want to make sure it is cooked thoroughly, and it has an internal temperature of at least 145 Fahrenheit degrees.
Foods that contain a high amount of iron during pregnancy help your body produce extra blood for you and your fetus. And this iron can help give you more energy during your pregnancy.
The Bottom Line is pregnant women can eat shrimp as the nutrient in it is helpful during pregnancy. The Omega 3 fatty acids in shrimp is very important for a pregnant woman and her baby.
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References
- Coletta JM, Bell SJ, Roman AS. Omega-3 Fatty acids and pregnancy. Rev Obstet Gynecol. 2010 Fall;3(4):163-71. PMID: 21364848; PMCID: PMC3046737.
- FDA- https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish
