Can you eat shrimp while pregnant?

Go ahead and enjoy that shrimp cocktail – it’s safe to eat shrimp (and most seafood) when you’re pregnant, as long as it’s well cooked. In fact, fish and shellfish can be an excellent source of nutrients you need during pregnancy.

If you’ve heard that you should avoid shrimp during pregnancy, it might be in part because people tend to mix it up with other seafood that’s frequently served raw or undercooked, such as oysters.

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“There’s a chance that shrimp gets unfairly lumped in with other shellfish,” says Emily Holthaus, M.D., a board-certified ob-gyn and member of BabyCenter’s Medical Advisory Board.

Benefits of eating shrimp during pregnancy

Shrimp and other seafood has lots of benefits for both you and your baby.

In fact, shrimp is one of the “best choicesOpens a new window” to eat, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It’s both healthy and lower in mercury than some other fish and shellfish.

Avoid eating large, predatory fish (bigeye tuna, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, and tilefish), since they can have high levels of mercury. (Learn more about choosing low-mercury fish during pregnancy.)

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The FDA and EPA recommend that pregnant and breastfeeding women eat between 8 to 12 ounces (or about two to three servings) of low-mercury seafood per week. Most of us actually aren’t eating enough!

There are lots of reasons to keep fish (and shellfish) on your menu when you’re expecting. For one, it’s a source of omega 3 fatty acids, iodine, iron, and choline. These help to support your baby’s brain and spinal cord development, cognitive development, and immune system. It’s also a good source of protein, the building block of the body’s tissues. “Shellfish can be a delicious way to add protein to your diet,” says Dr. Holthaus.

Studies also show that seafood may boost your heart health, as part of a diet that’s rich in veggies, fruits, nuts, legumes, lean meat and poultry, and low-fat dairy. Eating these foods may support your bone health while decreasing your risk of developing obesity and colon and rectal cancers.

Can you eat cooked shrimp while pregnant?

Yes. “As long as the shrimp is fully cooked and not raw, it’s safe to eat in pregnancy,” says Dr. Holthaus.

It’s fairly unusual to encounter raw shrimp in a restaurant, but you may find it in ceviche (a Peruvian dish made with raw seafood marinated in lemon or lime juice) and some sushi.

Can you eat shrimp cocktail while pregnant?

Yes. Since the shrimp served in shrimp cocktail should be cooked, it’s another safe bet during pregnancy.

Can you eat fried shrimp while pregnant?

Yes. Fried shrimp is cooked, so it’s safe to eat while pregnant.

Safety tips for eating shrimp and other seafood during pregnancy

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The main health risk that shrimp poses during pregnancy is causing food poisoning if it isn’t well-cooked. Food poisoning is more likely to affect you when you’re pregnant, and it can lead to larger issues for you and your baby.

“Certain infections from food can cross the placenta and cause serious health problems while the baby is still developing,” says Dr. Holthaus.

The good news is, cooking food kills potentially dangerous bacteria including Listeria and Salmonella. During pregnancy, “a good rule of thumb is to only eat food that’s fully cooked,” says Dr. Holthaus.

If you’re preparing shrimp at home, make sure it’s heated to an internal temperature of 145°F. Cooked shrimp feels firm and appears white and orange or pink in color. (Uncooked shrimp, on the other hand, is gray or translucent and feels soft.)

If uncooked (or cooked) seafood has a fishy, rancid, sour, or ammonia-like smell, don’t eat it. Strong odors mean that seafood is spoiled.

It’s also always a good idea to watch out for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) public health alertsOpens a new window on outbreaks of foodborne illness. Sometimes outbreaks occur in unexpected foods, says Dr. Holthaus, such as precooked frozen shrimp.

Finally, if you’re eating out at a restaurant, tell the server that you’re pregnant and want to be extra sure your shrimp is fully cooked. Avoid meals where you “cook your own” shrimp or seafood in a communal pot, such as hot pot or fondue, since it can be challenging to ensure that your food gets fully cooked.

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