Eating Fish During Pregnancy

You don't have to steer clear of all types of fish during pregnancy. The only ones you have to avoid outright are shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. These fish are on the Food and Drug Administration's hit list because they contain high levels of a type of mercury called methylmercury that is known to be harmful to the nervous system of the developing baby.

Because smaller amounts of mercury can be found in other types of fish, the FDA recommends that pregnant women limit their weekly intake of fish to 12 ounces and that they choose from a wide variety of types of fish (as opposed to just eating tuna or salmon exclusively, for example).

Note: You can find out more about food safety during pregnancy by visiting the FDA's Food Safety site.