Mercury and Pregnancy
Mercury is a naturally occurring element that serves many useful purposes. Mercury is used in a variety of products including dental fillings, thermometers, batteries, thermostats, fluorescent lamps and blood pressure monitoring devices. While minimal exposure to mercury is not harmful, significant, prolonged exposure can lead to health problems, especially in pregnant women.
In the environment, mercury can be found in the air, soil, water and rocks. Mercury is released into the air by coal burning power plants, chlorine production, volcanic eruptions and burning of medical waste. When mercury enters the soil, certain microorganisms transform it into methylmercury, a toxic form of mercury that can be absorbed by the small intestines. When small organisms feed, they ingest methylmercury. As the food chain progress, animals higher in the food chain also consume methylmercury. Consequently, most fish and shellfish have some traces of this toxic mercury in their bodies.
For most people, eating fish poses little health concern. In fact, eating fish should be part of healthy diet for all people, especially new or expectant mothers. Still, fish with higher levels of mercury can harm a fetus or infant's nervous system.
Mercury in Fish Warning
In 2004, the FDA and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set limits for fish consumption among women who might be pregnant, expectant mothers, nursing mothers and young children. As long as these guidelines for fish consumption are followed, mercury should not cause adverse health effects.
The FDA advised that women and young children should follow several recommendations for eating fish. These recommendations include:
- Refrain from eating shark, king mackerel, swordfish or tilefish, because they contain high levels of mercury.
- Eat no more than 12 ounces (2 meals) of fish that are lower in mercury per week. Examples of seafood low in mercury include canned light tuna, pollock, catfish, shrimp and salmon.
- Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught in local or coastal waters. If no advisories exist, eat no more than 6 ounces of locally caught fish, but refrain from any other fish during that week.
- For young children, follow the above recommendations, but serve smaller portions.
Helpful Links
For more information on mercury and women's health, please visit the following websites.
