Pregnant Women Should Eat Fish

When you’re pregnant, keeping track of all of the things that are unsafe to eat can feel a little overwhelming. We want to help you better understand the guidelines for eating fish while pregnant. 

SHOULD PREGNANT WOMEN EAT FISH? 

Through an ongoing research study, our team found that there is very little risk associated with eating moderate amounts of fish with low mercury content, and the benefits of eating it outweigh the potential detriments.

If you’re pregnant, put fish with low levels of mercury on your “okay to eat” list.

HOW MUCH FISH IS RECOMMENDED?

The EPA now recommends pregnant women eat 8-10 ounces a week (or 2-3 servings), because there are known nutritional benefits.

WHAT TYPE OF FISH IS SAFE TO EAT?

Consume the fish that are lowest in mercury. The smaller the fish, the less mercury it is likely to have:

• Salmon
• Tilapia
• Cod
• Cat fish
• Shrimp

And avoid fish with high mercury levels, such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico.

If you don’t like to eat fish, consider a supplement. Speak with your doctor first, but fish oil pills may be a reasonable substitute.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR RESEARCH 

In our study, we collected information on what type and how much fish mothers ate during pregnancy and also measured mercury concentrations in their blood during pregnancy.

We examined 344 five-week-old infants, and found that the babies whose mothers consumed more fish during pregnancy showed better behavior and coping skills during the exam. The babies whose mothers had higher mercury concentrations, likely coming from fish, also showed better attention during the exam.

There is evidence that when babies do well during this neurobehavioral test, it is linked to better outcomes when they get older. So, for instance, babies who do well on the behavioral side of the infant test are more likely to also show better behavior later in life. And a baby who is very attentive in infancy is more likely to pay better attention in school. 

This means that even a very small amount of fish – 1 to 3 times a month – provided cognitive and behavioral benefits to babies, without much risk involved. We interpreted these positive benefits to be related to the polyunsaturated fatty acids contained in fish, which have been shown to benefit attention, memory and other areas of development in children.

If you have more questions, or you’re concerned about something you may have eaten, please contact your doctor.

What Parents Need to Know About Asthma and Vitamin D

Both asthma and vitamin D deficiency are widespread problems in the United States. In fact, about 10% of children have asthma and 50% of children are deficient in vitamin D. This vitamin has anti-inflammatory properties. It is also critical for bone health and preventing associated diseases like rickets and osteomalacia. So what does it have to do with asthma and what does that mean for kids? Here’s what parents need to know about the relationship between the two:

WHAT PARENTS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ASTHMA AND VITAMIN D

1. THERE’S A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LOW VITAMIN D LEVELS AND ASTHMA

Children with asthma have been shown to have lower levels of Vitamin D. While there’s a clear relationship between the two, we don’t know the reason for the association. Several studies have examined whether replacing Vitamin D may improve asthma and some have shown benefit while others have not. Overall, the studies suggest that raising vitamin D levels to the normal range improves asthma symptoms.  

2. CHILDREN WITH VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY ARE MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE EFFECTS OF TRAFFIC-RELATED AIR POLLUTION (TRAP)

Traffic exposure has a negative effect on everyone. However, studies have shown that exposure to traffic-related air pollution causes increased asthma symptoms and exacerbations in individuals with asthma and promotes asthma development early in life. This is especially evident in children who are vitamin D deficient. Children who are vitamin D deficient and live near major roadways are five times more likely to experience asthma exacerbations as compared to children living in the same areas and not deficient in vitamin D. This is a major public health problem. Forty-five percent of the population lives in areas affected by air pollution. Further, more than 30% of schools are located in high TRAP areas.

3. VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTATION MAY HELP AS A PREVENTION METHOD

We recently published a paper demonstrating that vitamin D supplementation may be useful in preventing asthma symptoms amongst individuals who are vitamin D deficient and have high exposure to TRAP. Previous studies have targeted vitamin D supplementation to vitamin D deficient children with asthma. But our data suggests that asthmatics who are vitamin D deficient and have high TRAP exposure would benefit the most.  

4. HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH YOUR CHILD’S DOCTOR

Vitamin D levels are not routinely checked in children. However, our study supports that doctors should consider checking vitamin D levels in infancy or early childhood. This is especially true for children with asthma or those at high risk for asthma.

Discuss with your child’s doctor whether your child should have his or her vitamin D level checked and whether supplements might be needed to keep your child’s levels in the normal range. It’s also important to address if your child is at high risk for asthma. Your doctor can help you determine strategies for asthma management and potential treatments that will minimize the impact of TRAP exposure.