Moms-to-Be: Are You Eating Enough Seafood?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimates that pregnant women in the U.S. eat less than half a serving of seafood a week. That means most moms-to-be should quadruple the amount of seafood they eat each week to meet the minimum 2 servings recommendation.

Prevent Depression During and After Pregnancy:

Research shows women who eat no seafood during pregnancy are twice as likely to experience depression as those who eat seafood two times a week.ⁱ Studies suggest that depressed women have lowered levels of DHA, an important omega-3 found in fish. During pregnancy your developing baby needs a lot of DHA, thus depleting your levels of DHA. To get more DHA, try eating more seafood. ⁱⁱ,ⁱⁱⁱ

Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease:

Keep your heart healthy by eating seafood. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in women in the U.S., with risk factors including diabetes, high blood cholesterol and being overweight.

The good news is that you have the power to help manage your risk factors and protect your heart by including more fish, rich in omega-3 fatty acids, into your diet. Deficiencies in omega-3s are known to increase the risk of dying from heart disease by 36 percent.^iv Nutrients found in seafood also decrease blood triglyceride levels and increases HDL (good) cholesterol. ^v

^{i</sup >Golding, Jean, et al. “High levels of depressive symptoms in pregnancy with low omega-3 fatty acid intake from fish.” Epidemiology 20 (2009): 598-603.
ii Golding, Jean, et al. “High levels of depressive symptoms in pregnancy with low omega-3 fatty acid intake from fish.” Epidemiology 20 (2009): 598-603.
iii Leung, Brenda and Bonnie Kaplan. “Perinatal Depression: Prevalence, Risks, and the Nutrition Link – A Review of the Literature.” The Journal of the American Dietetic Association 109 (2009): 1566-75.
iv Horn, L. V., PhD, RD., McCoin, M., MPH, RD., Kris-Etherton, P. M., PhD, RD., Burke, F., MS, RD.,Carson, J. A. S., PhD, RD., Champagne, C. M., PhD, RD., Sikand, G., MA, RD. (2008, February). The Evidence for Dietary Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 108(2).
v Horn, L. V., PhD, RD., McCoin, M., MPH, RD., Kris-Etherton, P. M., PhD, RD., Burke, F., MS, RD.,Carson, J. A. S., PhD, RD., Champagne, C. M., PhD, RD., Sikand, G., MA, RD. (2008, February). The Evidence for Dietary Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 108(2).}