Can pregnant women actually eat tuna?

But what about during pregnancy? Are there any types of fish that pregnant women should avoid?

Tuna and other large predatory fish are often contaminated with mercury. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should not eat these fish, because the pollutant poses a great danger to babies and unborn children.

Pollution of the oceans with mercury

Fish contains important nutrients. But the organic form of mercury, methylmercury, can also accumulate in animals. A comparatively large amount of it can be found in some aging predatory fish.

This is the case, for example, with the following:

Tuna,
swordfish,
butter mackerel,
Pike,
Shark (available commercially as “Schillerlocke”),
Eel,
swordfish,
loach,
white and black halibut,
monkfish as well
redfish

Very large, old predatory fish contain more methylmercury than comparatively small, younger predatory fish.

However, according to the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), a risk to the health of the general public is not to be expected if tuna is consumed in normal quantities. There is a maximum content of one milligram per kilogram of fresh weight, which must not be exceeded in Europe. Food monitoring checks compliance.

No tuna when pregnant or breastfeeding

During pregnancy, on the other hand, women should avoid eating tuna and other large predatory fish. Because even small amounts of methylmercury can become a problem for a fetus.

“Methylmercury can lead to neuronal development damage in unborn babies and infants because it crosses the blood-brain barrier and the placenta,” warns the BfR. The poison can accumulate in the brain and other organs of the unborn child. This inhibits their development.

Methylmercury can also get into breast milk. Therefore, breastfeeding women should also refrain from eating fish that could be heavily contaminated with mercury. When an infant ingests methylmercury through breast milk, it can adversely affect the brain, heart, kidneys, and immune system.

Raw or canned tuna

Is exposure to methylmercury lower in cooked or canned tuna? “Mercury is a metal that cannot be destroyed, either by heat or by storing it in a can,” says Dr. medical Christian Albring, former President of the Professional Association of Gynecologists. Therefore, the type of preparation is not important in connection with mercury exposure. All types of tuna and other large predatory fish can therefore be problematic for pregnant women.

How much fish should pregnant women eat?

Cod, salmon, herring, trout – fish should be on the menu for pregnant women twice a week, recommends gynecologist Albring. After all, it not only contained iodine, protein and selenium, but also the important highly unsaturated omega fatty acids.

“These are essential for the development of the baby’s brain,” says the expert. “The best thing is to eat a variety of fish more often – sometimes from the sea, sometimes freshwater, and also from different origins.” Vegetarians and vegans should take these unsaturated omega fatty acids in the form of capsules.

How should fish be prepared for pregnant women?

For pregnant women, one thing applies above all to fish: cook it well. Raw fish, raw seafood and raw mussels should be avoided at all costs. “Even sushi, smoked or pickled fish should not be eaten cold, but always heated,” says Albring to t-online.

Fish and seafood often contain listeria, which in the worst case can reach the unborn baby and cause very serious infections and miscarriages. If the fish is heated to over 70 degrees for at least two minutes, it kills any pathogens.