Mothers Again Urged to Eat Fish

The FDA and EPA also recommended that these groups avoid eating shark, tilefish, king mackerel and swordfish because of high mercury content, and to eat no more than six ounces per week of albacore tuna. The agencies say that for most other people, the mercury in fish and shellfish poses no risk.

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Consumers seemed to take that advice to heart and were reinforced by the popular self-help book "What to Expect When You're Expecting." It said that when it comes to fish, pregnant women, as well as nursing mothers and young children, "should play it safer than the general population."

The federal seafood warning led 56 percent of pregnant women to cut fish consumption to levels well below beneficial amounts, according to a study conducted earlier this year at the Medical University of South Carolina.

When women skimp on fish, dubbed "brain food" by previous generations, their babies and children can sometimes pay the price, other studies indicate. Earlier this year, a team of British and American scientists reported in the Lancet that children of women who ate the smaller amounts recommended in the United States during pregnancy had lower IQs and lower academic test scores at age 8, and more behavioral and social problems throughout early development, than youngsters whose mothers ate 12 or more ounces per week.

Other studies suggest that missing out on the high levels of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can increase the risk of delivering a baby too early and at a low birth weight.

It's not just babies and children who may be harmed by inadequate consumption of seafood. Women who do not get enough omega-3s in pregnancy seem to have a higher risk of depression while expecting and after giving birth. Postpartum depression afflicts about one of every 10 new mothers, said James McGregor, a University of Southern California obstetrician who headed the Maternal Nutrition Group, which drafted the new guidelines.

Some countries and governmental groups, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, the Netherlands and the Nordic Council of Ministers, already advise that pregnant women eat at least two servings of fish per week.

The latest recommendations add to a growing call for consuming more omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy. The Healthy Mothers guidelines say it is best to choose ocean fish, such as salmon, tuna and sardines, which are highest in omega-3s.

Fish is rich in selenium, a mineral that occurs at about five to 20 times the concentration of mercury. When the two chemicals bind, "there is a growing body of evidence that selenium in ocean fish may also counteract the potential negative influence of mercury exposure," the panel said.

An FDA representative said that the agency "plans to study the recommendations" but has not changed its advice.

For women who don't like fish -- or feel caught in the middle of the scientific debate -- options include other food rich in omega-3s such as flaxseed and oil, or foods fortified with omega-3s, such as eggs from chickens raised on feed rich in DHA.

Fish oil supplements are another choice. Earlier this year, the European Commission recommended that pregnant and lactating women take 200 milligrams per day of DHA supplements.