Study: Women May Not Need to Limit Fish Intake During Pregnancy
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JackF/iStock/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) — A new study says that women may not need to limit fish intake during pregnancy out of fear of exposing their unborn child to mercury.
Researchers tested the hair and blood of over 1,200 pregnant women and compared them to behavioral questionnaires and surveys on their children. The study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, says that the mothers and their children were observed from pregnancy until their children turned 20 months old.
No link was found between prenatal mercury exposure and the neurological development of children.
While current U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines recommend pregnant women avoid overconsumption of fish, this study questions whether the benefits of fish consumption may outweigh harm.
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