My husband read that pregnant women shouldn eat fish because of the risk of mercury poisoning. I always thought fish was a healthy food, what should I do?
In recent years there has been a growing concern about how pollutants and pesticides have affected our rivers and lakes, and in turn, what this has done to fish as a food. The two culprits that have been identified as causing problems have been PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and methyl mercury. PCBs are a group of substances once used in electrical equipment, and although banned, they are still present some waterways. Methyl mercury accumulates in larger fish, those with long life spans. Fish is still a very healthy food, rich in omega-3 fatty acids (read Program Your Baby’s Health in the Book Shelf section for more details), protein, vitamins A, D, B-12, niacin, riboflavin, and zinc. Pregnant women and nursing mothers should not eat shark, swordfish, tilefish, and king mackerel, but should choose other fish instead, such as shellfish, canned fish (including tuna), smaller ocean fish, or farm-raised fish. The American Dietetic Association advises that pregnant women and nursing mothe
