Can You Eat Tuna Fish While Pregnant?

Is tuna fish safe during pregnancy?

Yes, canned tuna fish is safe during pregnancy within FDA-recommended amounts. Canned tuna is fully cooked during the canning process, eliminating raw fish concerns. The FDA classifies different canned tuna based on mercury content: canned light tuna (typically skipjack) is a 'best choice' with low mercury (about 0.13 ppm); canned white/albacore tuna is a 'good choice' with moderate mercury (about 0.32 ppm). Pregnant women can eat canned light tuna 2-3 times per week (8-12 oz total), or canned white tuna 1 time per week (4 oz). Tuna fish provides excellent protein (22g per 3 oz), omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA), vitamin D, vitamin B12, and selenium. The omega-3s support fetal brain development. Tuna fish is one of the most affordable sources of fish during pregnancy.

How should you prepare tuna fish during pregnancy?

Tuna fish preparations: classic tuna fish salad (mix canned tuna with pasteurized mayonnaise, celery, onion, salt, pepper, optional herbs); tuna fish sandwiches (on bread, lettuce, tomato, optionally with cheese); tuna melts (open-face sandwich with cheese, broiled until melted); tuna noodle casserole (with pasta, cream of mushroom soup, peas, cheese, baked); tuna salad on crackers; tuna stuffed avocado; tuna and pasta salad; tuna patties or cakes (mixed with breadcrumbs, egg, seasonings, pan-fried). Always use pasteurized mayonnaise (most commercial brands: Hellmann's, Best Foods, Kraft, Duke's are pasteurized). Store tuna salad in refrigerator; consume within 3-5 days. Don't leave tuna salad at room temperature more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). For tuna sandwiches packed in lunchboxes, use an ice pack to keep cold.

What tuna preparations should you avoid during pregnancy?

Avoid: raw tuna in any form (tuna sashimi, tuna sushi, tuna tartare, tuna carpaccio, poke bowls with raw tuna); seared/rare tuna steak (medium-rare or rare cooking doesn't kill all pathogens); tuna tartare (raw chopped tuna); spicy tuna rolls at sushi restaurants (raw tuna). Cook tuna steak to 145°F internal temperature (well-done) during pregnancy, even though restaurants often serve it medium-rare by default. Bigeye tuna (sometimes called 'ahi') should be avoided regardless of preparation due to very high mercury content; this is the 'choices to avoid' category. Yellowfin tuna (also sometimes called 'ahi') has moderate mercury and should be limited to 4 oz per week. Restaurant tuna salad of unknown provenance (could be made with mayo containing raw egg, especially in homemade or non-commercial settings) should be approached with care.

How does tuna fish compare to fresh tuna for pregnancy?

Canned tuna fish has practical advantages for pregnancy. Canned tuna is pre-cooked, eliminating risks from undercooked fresh tuna. Canned light tuna (skipjack) has lower mercury than larger fresh tuna varieties (yellowfin, bigeye, bluefin). Canned tuna is shelf-stable, convenient, and inexpensive ($1-3 per can). Fresh tuna varieties for cooking include: yellowfin (moderate mercury, limit weekly); albacore (moderate-high mercury, limit weekly); bigeye (very high mercury, avoid); bluefin (very high mercury, avoid). When cooking fresh tuna at home, choose lower-mercury varieties and cook to 145°F. For pregnancy purposes, canned light tuna is typically the safest, most accessible, and most cost-effective tuna option.