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Pros and cons of fish-eating during pregnancy Three-year-olds whose mothers ate more fish while pregnant with them score better on several tests of cognitive function than their peers whose mothers avoided seafood, a new study shows. However, the researchers also found that the amount of mercury in a woman's body rose with the amount of fish she had consumed -- and that children exposed to more mercury performed worse on these tests. Based on the findings, they say, it's possible fish could have even greater brain benefits for babies if mothers-to-be consumed seafood with lower mercury levels. "Recommendations for fish consumption during pregnancy should take into account the nutritional benefits of fish as well as the potential harms from mercury exposure," Dr. Emily Oken of Harvard Medical School in Boston and her colleagues write in the May 15 issue of the American Journal of Epidemiology. Advisories on mercury contamination of certain types of large, long-lived fish -- including tuna and swordfish -- have raised concerns about seafood consumption during pregnancy, Oken and her team note. On the other hand, fish are also the chief dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids, substances key to early brain development, they add. To better understand the risks and benefits of fish consumption, Oken and her team surveyed 341 mothers about their intake of fish during the second trimester of pregnancy, and then had their children complete a battery of tests of cognitive function at 3 years of age. On average, women reported eating 1.5 servings of fish each week while they were pregnant. The amount of mercury the women had in their red blood cells was directly related to the amount of fish they ate. Children's test scores rose with the amount of fish their mothers had consumed, but those whose mothers had more mercury in their bodies performed less well on the tests. Accounting for the effects of mercury exposure strengthened the effect of fish intake, and vice versa, the researchers found. Benefits were strongest for children whose mothers ate more than two servings a week. "Our finding that the benefit of fish intake is strengthened with adjustment for mercury levels suggests that if mercury contamination were not present, the cognitive benefits of fish would be greater," Oken and her team explain. "Maternal consumption of fish lower in mercury and reduced environmental mercury contamination would allow for stronger benefits of fish intake." SOURCE: American Journal of Epidemiology, May 15, 2008 Dr. Cinque's comments: The effects of fish-eating during pregnancy have been studied extensively and repeatedly in many parts of the world. On the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic, the negetive effects of mercury on child brain development from mothers eating fish during pregnancy predominated over any beneficial effects from EFAs. It was enough so that severe restrictions on fish-eating and whale-eating during pregnancy have been recommended over there. Obviously, if you are going to eat fish, you should try very hard to find clean, reliable sources, such as the wild Alaskan salmon, which is in season now. But even with that, I really don't think that fish should be more than a small part of the diet. Maybe have it once or twice a week, but that's about it. There is such a wide assortment of healthful, nutritious plant foods available that there is no need to load up on fish. I believe strongly in the superiority of the plant-based diet. I don't say that it must be 100 percent vegetarian, but it should be centered and focused mainly on plants. However, I do take Nordic Naturals Pro Omega fish oil supplement every day. E-mail to a friend Next Article |
