Recently there have been many warnings for pregnant women to avoid certain kinds of fish in order to prevent mercury poisoning. Shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and golden or white snapper (tilefish) are to be avoided because they contain high levels of potentially brain-damaging mercury. It is generally recommended that pregnant women have only two servings of fish (ones that are low in mercury) a week, but these warnings may lead women to eat even less.
On the other hand, there is evidence that the fatty acids in fish may also help prenatal brains develop. This is where the problems really start. Eat too much fish and you risk potential problems with mercury poisoning. Eat too little, and you might deprive the developing brain of fatty acids that may make you baby smarter.
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, is the main fatty acid that is found in fish and that is needed for brain development. Some nutritionists recommend that pregnant women get their DHA through algae-derived supplements. Omega-3-fortified eggs are another good source of DHA.
Next: Are summer pregnancies more likely to result in twins?
Previous: Do iPods cause hearing loss?
"Does eating fish make the baby smarter?" was posted on Thursday, January 24th, 2008 at 3:17 am.