Updated advice to pregnant and breastfeeding women on eating certain fish

Monday 17 February 2003

Pregnant and breastfeeding women, and those who intend to become pregnant, should eat no more than two medium-size cans of tuna, or one fresh tuna steak per week, according to updated Food Standards Agency advice. These women are also advised to avoid eating shark, swordfish and marlin. This is because mercury can harm an unborn child’s developing nervous system.

This precautionary advice is being issued to protect against the small risk to the unborn child, and breast-fed babies, from mercury in certain fish. It follows an extensive review by the independent Committee on Toxicity (COT) on the possible risks.