Why do we need to reduce intake of oily fish to 2 portions only per week during pregnancy?
Becuase of the risk of listeria which is rare but lethal. You can eat most types of fish when you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Eating fish is good for your health and the development of your baby. But you should avoid some types of fish and limit the amount you eat of some other types. When you’re pregnant or planning to get pregnant, you shouldn’t eat shark, swordfish or marlin. You should also limit the amount of tuna you eat to no more than two tuna steaks (weighing about 140g when cooked, or 170g raw) or four medium-size cans of tuna a week (with a drained weight of about 140g per can). This is because these fish contain more mercury than other types of fish. The amount of mercury we get from food isn’t harmful for most people, but if you take in high levels of mercury when you’re pregnant this could affect your baby’s developing nervous system. When you’re breastfeeding you don’t need to avoid shark, swordfish or marlin, or limit the amount of tinned tuna you eat. When you’re pre