What kind of sushi while pregnant

During weeks 1 to 8, the brain and spinal cord begin to form. This is also the time that the tissues that form the heart begin to beat and the eyes, ears, and nose develop. Listeria , a bacteria that causes listeriosis, is a type of food poisoning that can pose a serious health risk for you and your baby.

And pregnant women are at a higher risk of getting listeriosis. In addition to vomiting and diarrhea, it can cause preterm labor , stillbirth, and miscarriage. Additionally, if a baby is born with listeriosis, there can be problems with their kidneys and heart, as well as infections of the blood or brain.

To help prevent listeriosis, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ACOG recommends that pregnant women avoid eating sushi made with raw fish, among other foods like hot dogs, lunch meats, and unpasteurized milk.

Furthermore, raw fish can result in increased mercury exposure to your baby. When a pregnant woman is exposed to high levels of mercury, which is a metal, the health of the baby and mom are threatened. Related: Is it safe to eat sushi while breastfeeding?

Well, here it goes: You can eat some sushi rolls while pregnant. In fact, the current guidelines from the ACOG recommend that pregnant women eat at least two servings of low-mercury fish, such as salmon , catfish, and other fatty fish and shellfish that contain omega-3 fatty acids , per week.

When choosing a roll with cooked seafood, the Food and Drug Administration FDA tells pregnant women to avoid these high-mercury fish:. Fish is an extremely nutritious and beneficial food during pregnancy source: Epidemiology Journal. Time to address one of those pregnancy myths around sushi.

Well, do they? In fact, the Japanese Ministry of Health published a leaflet for pregnant women stating that food should be heated to an internal temperature of at least 75C for one minute. An obstetrician and gynecologist advised Japanese women not to eat raw fish 1 , and this was seconded by another Gynecologist 2. The conclusion is that both doctors and the Health Ministry in Japan quote the same risks of eating raw fish, and advise against it. Listeriosis is a rare but serious complication in pregnancy that can cause severe illness and miscarriage source: PMC.

Contamination with listeria tends to happen during preparation, packaging, or storage. It thrives in cool temperatures, even in a fridge. Other bacteria are transferred in similar ways, from cross-contamination or other ways the food is handled. In other words, contamination can happen at any stage in the food processing chain. It also occurs if the fish undergoes more processing steps, like curing and smoking source: PubMed. Anisakiasis also called anisakidosis is a parasitic disease caused by eating raw fish and seafood that are contaminated with worms nematodes.

The British Medical Journal noted in that although most cases were in Japan, it was becoming more prevalent in Western diets. This was attributed to more people eating raw fish like sushi source: BMJ.

Anisakiasis causes stomach pain, vomiting, anemia, nausea and diarrhea. Occasionally it causes bloody stools and fever, too source: CDC.

A study looked at the potential dangers in pregnancy, and concluded that Anisakiasis can cause anemia and altered immunity in pregnant women, and carried the risk of preterm births or growth restriction for the fetus source: PubMed. You can check this with proper food thermometers — my recommended ones are here. Yellowfin ahi is popular in sushi restaurants but should be eaten in moderation because of its mercury content.

You can read my guide to tuna and mercury here. Even if the fish is cooked, high mercury types should be avoided in sushi. Trying to conceive? We use your health information to make our site even more helpful. By clicking the button, you agree to our policies and to get emails from us. Join BabyCentre. Sign up to receive free emails and track your baby's development. Track my baby. Most popular in Pregnancy. See all in Community.

See all in Getting Pregnant. See all in Pregnancy. But have you ever tried making these at home? To craft a dragon roll, you would need shrimp tempura slices, cucumbers, and some fish roe. Tuck them inside a sheet of seaweed before rolling with rice. Garnish with some avocado slices, sesame seeds, and a bit more fish roe. Missing the soft, buttery texture of sashimi? In the meantime, you can substitute your favorite raw salmon with sweet potatoes. You can use roasted sweet potatoes, or tempura-fry them.

Sweet potatoes also complement other ingredients well, so you can have fun experimenting with adding shrimp tempura and other veggies along with sweet potatoes. If you want to recreate this recipe, you would actually need only a few ingredients. Roll in some sliced sweet potatoes, sesame seeds, and some lettuce. If you want, you can also add some more veggies like bell peppers.

Sushi-loving expectant moms may be banned from eating those delicious sashimi slices while a baby is in tow. Ask your local restaurants if they have the sushi rolls above. Or, experiment making your own sushi rolls, too.