Sushi and raw fish, would it harm baby?

[tb42]

I like to eat Japanese food but it the book doesn't recommend pregnant woman to eat it and i talked to Japanese mums who said most of Japanese woman eat sushi all the time even when they are pregnant. Or is there anything to do with bacteria in the raw food that might upset your tummy?

 

[tinytoes]

i would say there are too many chances of danger for me to have sushi. I think the risks are from bacteria in uncoocked fish/meat, but also that there is a small risk of various types of worms etc in raw fish.
The thing is that whilst these bacteria wouldnt normally harm us, while we're pregnant our immune system is low (we're designed that way, so that our body doesnt reject the foreign body/ baby, so I read!) and it could cause problems.
Personally I wouldnt risk it. It's like I wouldnt eat raw or rare beef right now either.

I often thought about Japanese women, but I guess their bodies are different to western bodies, and perhaps they too try and avoid sushi in favour of cooked fish whilst pregnant? I don't know.

I read a really interesting study once about morning sickness and how it is highest in communities where we eat foods which pose a potential risk to buba. It said that in teh western world where we eat a lot of meat (and particularly rare meat maybe) women get high rates of morning sickness, and in oriental communities where they eat a lot of raw fish then they too get high rates of morning sickness. In communities where the diet is mostly maize based (Africa maybe? I forget where) it said most women did not suffer morning sickness. So the theory was that morning sickness is in fact our bodies trying to protect us / put us off the dangerous foods. I know this isnt really an answer to your question, but was interesting I thought.

In this sense I suppose we should avoid rare meats and raw fish!?

Not sure what that theory says for my love of McDs cheeseburgers mind you..

 

[Shara]

I stay away from fish entirely now, because of the mercury content. This has nothing to do with raw or cooked - its just that most fish nowadays have high levels of mercury in them that can't be removed. Mercury has been shown to have an effect on brain development - not a massive one, but enough that I don't want any in me.

The mercury content is higher the bigger the fish (or, the higher up the food chain it is). Tuna has a tonne of mercury in it. Salmon is up there too. Most of the good sushi fish are.

 

[tinytoes]

I stay away from fish entirely now, because of the mercury content. This has nothing to do with raw or cooked - its just that most fish nowadays have high levels of mercury in them that can't be removed. Mercury has been shown to have an effect on brain development - not a massive one, but enough that I don't want any in me.

The mercury content is higher the bigger the fish (or, the higher up the food chain it is). Tuna has a tonne of mercury in it. Salmon is up there too. Most of the good sushi fish are.

we can eat most fishaccording to what I've read - it's recomended because of the oils. and is good for baby's development. But best have it cooked!
Small fish are great for us - sardines, mackerel. Cod and Salmon are OK too - it's shark, marlin adn swordfish we have to avoid - the real big fish eating fish!
We can have a limited amount of tuna a week too - i believe it's two small cans.

The UK Food Standards Agency: Pregnant and breast feeding women can also eat between one and two portions of oily fish a week, and should do so not just for the health benefits to them but because oily fish also helps the neurological development of their babies. (The Agency already advises pregnant women, and women intending to become pregnant to avoid shark, marlin and swordfish and not to eat large amounts of tuna.)

oh - according to this site sushi should be ok if it's frozen first...https://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/agesandstages/pregnancy/#A284787