Seafood is a precious health food that it would be a shame to deprive you of during your pregnancy: proteins, vitamins, iron, zinc, phosphorus, iodine, Omega-3, etc. However, due to the risk of contamination, it is necessary to take some precautions during these 9 months to protect your health and that of your baby.

Seafood, whether fresh or frozen, if improperly stored or served raw or undercooked, is potentially dangerous.

They can indeed transmit listeriosis, a disease caused by a bacterium, listeria, which can have serious consequences on the fetus if it is contracted during pregnancy. Toxoplasmosis, in case you are not immune and hepatitis A are also infections that can be declared by eating poorly preserved, contaminated or raw seafood or fish. Anisakis worms and salmonellosis are also to be feared.

These infections have irreversible consequences on the fetus: heart, eye and neurological malformations, intrauterine growth retardation, premature delivery, and even death in utero in the case of toxoplasmosis contracted between the 10th and 24th week of pregnancy. . With regard to seafood, the greatest vigilance is therefore essential!

Fish and seafood, which are highly exposed to bacteria and parasites, can also be the cause of food poisoning. However, in the event of food poisoning, an appropriate antibiotic treatment prescribed by your doctor will prevent the transmission of germs to your baby.

Rich in vitamins, minerals, very good quality fatty acids (Omega-3) and proteins, the vast majority of fish and seafood can be consumed during pregnancy. However, two conditions must absolutely be met to incur no risk for you and for your baby: they must have been stored in good conditions (no break in the cold chain) and be well cooked.

If these conditions are met, you can perfectly opt for shrimp, langoustines, crab, whelks or even lobster, etc. served cold or fish. However, be careful with the mayonnaise that often accompanies these dishes, because of the eggs that present a risk of salmonella: forget the homemade mayonnaise and opt for industrial mayonnaise, during your pregnancy.

Oysters when you are pregnant

Regarding oysters, if you are pregnant, you are not advised to consume them raw, as well as other seafood because they are often a source of contamination that can lead to food poisoning.

But if you are crazy about it, it is possible to eat cooked oysters. There are delicious recipes for oysters cooked in the oven and au gratin or poached, steamed or even on a skewer. Ultimately, do not deprive yourself of these seafood rich in essential minerals, but pay close attention to their cooking!

Mussels when you are pregnant

Here again, it is quite possible to consume mussels, provided that they have been well preserved – without breaking the cold chain – and that they are well cooked. To fill up with calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, vitamins and proteins without any risk for your baby, prefer cooking in the oven or in a casserole dish.

Remember that in general, shellfish are cooked when their shell is fully open. . However, avoid shellfish whose shell is broken and seafood whose shell does not open.

Smoked salmon when you are pregnant

Regarding salmon, whether raw or smoked, it is best to avoid it because of the high risk of contamination.

That said, if you want to consume smoked salmon during your pregnancy, always choose it vacuum-packed and pasteurized. These commercial products are indeed safer from a bacteriological point of view than salmon bought by the cut on the market or from the caterer, as good and renowned as it is.

Sushi when you’re pregnant

Sushi, sashimi, makis and chirashis, as well as tartars and ceviches, should be avoided during pregnancy to avoid any risk of intoxication because all these products are made from raw fish, possibly marinated. Indeed, raw fish, especially when they have been emptied late, can harbor a food parasite, anisakiasis, responsible for anisakidosis, commonly called “herring worm disease”. This disease appeared in Japan and it is starting to take hold in Europe thanks to the success of Japanese cuisine.

However, if you are really addicted to sushi, know that, like meat, freezing helps eliminate parasites! So you can buy fresh raw fish (from the fishmonger), pack it properly in a clean freezer bag and freeze it for at least 6 days and then enjoy it raw. Be careful, however: freeze the fish in the freezer section and not in the freezer (the compartment often located at the top of the refrigerator which allows you to make ice cubes) and remember to eat the fish well the day you defrost it.

Fish are precious foods that contain all these substances whose needs are increased during pregnancy and which are absolutely essential for the proper development of the baby: iodine, iron, selenium, phosphorus, vitamin D, vitamin B12 and especially Omega-3.

The fattest fish are the richest in Omega-3s and greatly participate in the development of the cells of the eyes and the brain of the fetus.

During your fat, therefore opt for oily fish, and to avoid the accumulation of mercury, prefer small or medium-sized fish – those which are at the beginning or in the middle of the food chain – such as herring, mackerel, fresh sardines or anchovies for example but also trout, eel, sole, sea bass, turbot, pollack, cod, perch, mullet, sea bream, red mullet, hake, whiting, dab, salmon, etc.

However, avoid large predators, which are at the end of the food chain, such as tuna, sharks and swordfish for example, which are too rich in mercury.

Ideally: eat fish twice a week, including fatty fish once.

To enjoy fish and seafood without incurring the slightest risk, neither for you nor for your baby, be sure to respect these few rules:

• At the restaurant or when you are invited (family, friends):

Always state that you want well-cooked fish, possibly notify that you are pregnant. Do not hesitate to check the cooking and ask if necessary that we cook your dish again if you judge that the cooking is not sufficient. Better to be far-sighted!

If you eat shrimp, crab, langoustines or periwinkles, watch out for the mayonnaise that often accompanies them: ask for industrial and not homemade mayonnaise. Here again, possibly specify the reasons for your request!

• At home :

When you buy fish or seafood, whether it is at the fishmonger, or in the fresh department, always provide an insulated bag and blocks of ice that you will slip inside to ensure the good conservation of your food. When you get home, store them in the coldest part of your refrigerator and consume them within 1-3 days from the date of purchase.

If you’re cooking whole fish or fillets, whether in a pan, oven, steamer or barbecue, always check doneness by sticking a knife into the flesh and spreading it lightly. The flesh should be opaque and start to crumble.

If you cook seafood in the microwave, always check that the cooking is even before going to the table.

For shellfish and molluscs (clams, mussels and oysters), make sure they open before stopping their cooking. Do not consume those which have not opened or whose shell is damaged.