Fish contains high-quality proteins, omega 3 fatty acids and certain essential nutrients that contribute to a child’s proper growth and development. But the traces of methylmercury present in fishes could harm the developing fetus. Considering the harmful effects of mercury, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised pregnant women, nursing mothers and small children to avoid consuming fishes with high level of mercury content. 

The FDA recommends only 12 ounces of fish to be consumed by pregnant women each week. The mercury content in fish is believed to affect the baby’s nervous system.

But those fishes having low mercury content can be consumed. The fishes like shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, Pollock and catfish have low mercury content.

Shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish, which contain high levels of mercury, should be avoided altogether.

Do not stop the consumption of food altogether during pregnancy. Research conducted by the Harvard Medical School has found that avoiding fish would prove detrimental for the brain development of the fetus.  

The cognitive functions of the infants were found to excel in those cases were the mothers were fed on fish during their pregnancy. The VRM (visual recognition memory) score was shown to be low in the case of infants, whose mothers had avoided fish altogether during pregnancy.