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News Articles
The information on this page is for women who may become pregnant, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children. These people can benefit from regular seafood consumption but should avoid some types of fish because of contaminants.
On this page we have summarized current recommendations on heath benefits and potential health risks for women of childbearing age and young children.
New study finds that women who eat fish while pregnant have smarter children
Canadian Press, February 16, 2007
Women who ate more than 340 grams a week of fish or seafood - the equivalent of two or three servings a week - had smarter children with better developmental skills.
Children whose mothers ate no seafood were 48 per cent more likely to have a low verbal IQ score, compared with children whose mothers ate high amounts of seafood.
Fish Diet in Pregnancy May Hone Kids’ IQ
The Associated Press and The Washington Post, February 16, 2007
Women who eat seafood while pregnant may be boosting their children's IQ in the process, according to new research published Friday in The Lancet. The results of the study were surprising, say the authors, and contradict American and British recommendations that pregnant women should limit seafood and fish consumption to avoid potentially high levels of mercury. The study relied on mothers' observations of their children's development and their reports of their food intake while pregnant. The study, led by Dr. Joseph Hibbeln of the United States' National Institutes of Health, tracked the eating habits of 11,875 pregnant women in Bristol, Britain.
Touting the Benefits of Eating Fish
New York Times, October 19, 2006
Two authoritative scientific assessments – one from the Institute of Medicine of the
National Academy of Sciences, the other from researchers at the Harvard School of
Public Health - concluded that for most people the health benefits of eating finfish and
shellfish clearly exceed any risks from contamination by toxic chemicals, heavy metals
or microbes.
Most Women Unaware of Key Nutrient Needed for Babies' Brain, Heart and Eye Development During Pregnancy
Society for Women’s Health Research Press Release, September 14, 2006.
Most women are aware of only two of the “Big 3” nutrients considered essential during pregnancy and breastfeeding, according to a Kelton Research survey sponsored by the Society for Women’s Health Research, a Washington, D.C.- based national advocacy organization. The majority of women surveyed know the importance of including folic acid and calcium with vitamin D in their diet, but half of them do not know about the need for DHA Omega-3, a critical nutrient for the development and health of a baby’s brain, heart and eyes.
ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS IN PREGNANCY: EATING FOR TWO
Fats of Life Newsletter
Good nutrition for motherhood begins before conception, providing a head start for both the mother and baby. This is especially true for nutrients, such as essential fatty acids, that are below the radar screen of many women and their doctors. Two polyunsaturated fatty acids, AA and DHA, are building blocks of brain cells, the vascular system, and other tissues. The mother has two ways of providing AA and DHA for the fetus. One is to make them from precursor fatty acids and the other is to consume them in foods. For AA, either choice appears sufficient. For DHA, few foods other than fish and shellfish contain DHA and fish consumption is very low in many western countries. Women in the U.S. have one of the lowest intakes of fish in the world. The second source of DHA is conversion of the precursor, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), to EPA and DHA. However, unlike the formation of AA, these conversions are highly inefficient with 5% or less being converted to EPA and less to DHA.
Mercury Testing Gives Fish a Clean Bill of Health
Center for Consumer Freedom 7/11/06
The nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) released a report detailing the first comprehensive mercury testing of fish sold in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. The results are undeniably good for consumers. Working with an independent laboratory, the Center tested 142 samples of canned tuna and fresh fish from 36 different retail stores in Washington, DC and the nearby Maryland and Virginia suburbs. Using published standards from the Food and Drug Administration as a guide; every fish sampled for this study is safe to eat.
The FDA has written that its mercury Action Level (1.0 part per million) was established “to limit consumers’ methyl mercury exposure to levels 10 times lower than the lowest levels associated with adverse effects.”
Oily fish makes 'babies brainier’
BBC News Friday January 20, 2006
Eating oily fish and seeds in pregnancy can boost children's future brain power and social skills, research suggests. A study of 9,000 mothers and children in Avon suggested those who consumed less of the essential fatty acid Omega-3 had children with lower IQs. These children also had poorer motor skills and hand-to-eye co-ordination, research in the Economist said.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids are a Crucial Component of a Healthy Diet for Pregnant Women
The Economist 1/19/2006
It has been known for some time that omega-3 acids are important, but data from a long-term study of British children suggest they are even more important than had previously been realized. In particular, the amount of omega-3 in a pregnant woman’s diet helps to determine her child’s intelligence, fine-motor skills) such as the ability to manipulate small objects, and hand-eye co-ordination) and also propensity to anti-social behavior.
Americans Told to Eat Seafood Twice Per Week for Optimal Health
NOAA Fisheries Feature Press Release, 12/6/05
Pregnant, Nursing Women Advised to Increase Fish Intake but Avoid Five Species and Whale Meat. Backed by compelling science that links seafood consumption to reduced risk of disease, the U.S. government is recommending that all Americans- especially pregnant and nursing women and children- eat two seafood meals per week that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Click here to see the full press release
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