The U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revised their recommendations for fish consumption during pregnancy and while breast feeding.
The FDA is encouraging pregnant and breastfeeding women to eat more low-mercury fish, an FDA news release reported.
In the past the FDA and EPA have recommended maximum amounts of fish that women in this group should consume, but have failed to suggest a minimum. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of eating fish during this crucial period.
"For years many women have limited or avoided eating fish during pregnancy or feeding fish to their young children," Stephen Ostroff, M.D., the FDA's acting chief scientist, said in the news release. "But emerging science now tells us that limiting or avoiding fish during pregnancy and early childhood can mean missing out on important nutrients that can have a positive impact on growth and development as well as on general health."
The FDA looked at over 1,000 people in the U.S. and found 21 percent had not consumed fish within the past month; 50 percent ate fewer than two ounces per week.
"Eating fish with lower levels of mercury provides numerous health and dietary benefits," Nancy Stoner, the EPA's acting assistant administrator for the Office of Water, said in the news release. "This updated advice will help pregnant women and mothers make informed decisions about the right amount and right kinds of fish to eat during important times in their lives and their children's lives."
The FDA draft update warns women to avoid four types of high-mercury fish: "tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico; shark; swordfish; and king mackerel," the news release reported. They are also urged to eat no more than six ounces of tuna fish a week.
"When eating fish caught from local streams, rivers and lakes, follow fish advisories from local authorities. If advice isn't available, limit your total intake of such fish to 6 ounces a week and 1-3 ounces for children," the news release reported.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women should eat between eight and 12 ounces of a variety of fish per week.
