Why should women be concerned about methylmercury?
If you regularly eat fishes that are high in methylmercury it can accumulate in your body over time. Since methylmercury affects the nervous system, unborn babies and young children are particularly vulnerable to mercury during development. Methylmercury is removed from the body naturally, but it may take over a year for the levels to drop significantly. Thus, it may be present in a woman even before she becomes pregnant. This is the reason why women who are planning to become pregnant should avoid eating certain types of fish.
