Eating Shrimp During Pregnancy: Safety, Benefits & Precautions

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Shrimp is a soft-textured shellfish rich in vital nutrients, such as lean protein, selenium, and several B vitamins, such as vitamin B12

. It also contains heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which can benefit a pregnant woman and her unborn baby. But while shrimp is generally considered a healthy choice for seafood lovers, you might want to know — can pregnant women eat shrimp? Knowing this is crucial as certain types of fish and shellfish may contain high amounts of mercury.

If you are looking for an answer to your question ‘can I eat shrimp while pregnant?’ then read on as we tell you about the safety, possible health benefits, and necessary precautions you should follow.

Safety Of Shrimp In Pregnancy

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According to the American Pregnancy Association (APA), shrimp is a low-mercury seafood rich in protein and low in saturated fats, making it a healthy addition to the maternal diet (1). So, can you eat shrimp while pregnant? The answer is yes. Pregnant women should consume well-cooked shrimp since raw or undercooked seafood can contain harmful pathogens that cause foodborne illnesses and have a negative impact on maternal health and the fetus.

The US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) advises pregnant and breastfeeding women to consume 8-12 ounces per week of a variety of low-mercury seafood (2). Consuming seafood can provide you with vital nutrients that promote your health and support the baby’s growth and development.

Besides shrimp, some other types of seafood that are low in mercury and you can safely consume when pregnant are fish, such as pollack, catfish, salmon, trout, canned light tuna, cod, and tilapia.

Quick tip

When purchasing live shellfish, look for tags on the sacks or containers. These tags and labels include the processor’s certification number and relevant product information. It indicates that the shellfish were harvested and prepared in line with national shellfish safety controls (9).

Nutritional Value Of Shrimp

Shrimp is a nutritious shellfish that you can prepare in several ways. Here’s the presentation of approximate amounts of different nutrients a pregnant woman aged between 19 and 30 years can get by consuming three ounces (85g) of cooked shrimp (3) (4).

Source: USDA and Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025

Possible Health Benefits Of Eating Shrimp During Pregnancy

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Shrimp contains significant amounts of high-quality protein and other nutrients, such as iodine, magnesium, zinc, and calcium. They also contain omega-3 fatty acids and some iron. Pregnant women need these nutrients for the healthy progression of pregnancy and proper growth and development of the babies.

For instance, consuming sufficient omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy can provide optimum nutrition and aid the baby’s eye and brain development (5). In addition, it can prevent preterm labor and delivery and lower the risk of preeclampsia. Furthermore, it may prevent allergies in infants and reduce the risk of postpartum depression (6). Iron in shrimp can also contribute to your increased iron needs and prevent anemia.

Tips To Cook Shrimp At Home

Below are some simple steps you can follow to safely cook shrimp at home and mitigate the risk of foodborne infections.

• Clean your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds. Use clean utensils and kitchen essentials, such as knives, to prevent cross-contamination.

• Clean the shrimp under cold running water before shelling or deveining the shrimp. Then, quickly peel off the skin and devein them using a sharp knife. It’s vital so that they don’t get warm. Keep the shrimp in a bowl of ice whenever possible.

• Dispose of shells and veins as soon as possible so that they don’t contaminate clean shrimp at any point while preparing the shrimps (7).

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• Thoroughly cook shrimp and check its internal temperature using a food thermometer while preparing seafood at home. Experts recommend cooking seafood to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).

You may boil, steam, fry, bake, and grill shrimp. To ensure shrimp is cooked well, monitor its color. The US FDA advises cooking shrimp until they develop an opaque (milky white) color (8). Also, as the shrimp cooks through, its flesh becomes firmer and clearer (9).

Point to consider

Avoid consuming shrimp paste sold in supermarkets or restaurants; prepare thoroughly cooked shrimp paste at home.

Precautions To Take When Eating Shrimp During Pregnancy

Here are certain precautionary measures you should follow to ensure the safe consumption of shrimp during pregnancy.

1. Buy seafood from a reputable supplier or store. Experts advise buying refrigerated seafood or the one displayed on a thick bed of fresh ice, preferably under some cover.

2. Check the skin color and odor of shrimp. Fresh shrimp has a clear, pearl-like flesh and has little or no odor.

3. Ask for an ice bag to keep the shrimp chilled while buying shrimp from the counter. If possible, keep a cooler with you to store shrimp until you reach home and refrigerate them. Doing so is crucial as bacteria thrive at temperatures above 40°F (4°C).

4. While buying frozen shrimp, look for the one packed in close-fitting, moisture-proof packages. Pick packages that have no damage and no melted ice leaking. Double-check that the shrimp has no signs of freezer burn, such as discoloration or drying on the surface, and has no objectionable odor.

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5. Don’t eat raw or undercooked seafood, such as shrimp, sushi, sashimi, oysters, ceviche, as it may contain harmful pathogens, such as listeria and salmonella. These microbes can cause food poisoning, adversely affecting your and your baby’s health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pregnant women are ten times more likely to contract listeria infection than other people.

6. Ensure the safety of seafood while eating out in a restaurant or hotel. Enquire about the dish and its ingredients. Check if the shrimp used in a dish is well-cooked or raw.

Be watchful

Uncooked rotten seafood may smell rancid, fishy, sour, or ammonia-like. After cooking, these odors intensify. Do not eat any seafood, whether it is raw or cooked if you detect foul, rancid, or fishy scents (9).

Infographic: How To Select Shrimp To Ensure Its Safety

Selecting good shrimp is essential to ensuring its safety for pregnant women. Our infographic lists simple tips that can help you make a good choice. Read through them and use them the next time you go out to buy shrimp.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

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Reviewer Author Editor Fact Checker

Jennifer HouseMSc, RD

Jennifer House is a registered dietitian with 15 years of experience and currently owns a private practice First Step Nutrition in Calgary, Alberta. Whether dealing with picky eaters or starting a baby on solids, Jennifer helps parents decrease food overwhelm through online programs.

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Swati PatwalM.Sc. (Food & Nutrition), MBA

Swati Patwal is a clinical nutritionist, a Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) and a toddler mom with more than a decade of experience in diverse fields of nutrition. She started her career as a CSR project coordinator for a healthy eating and active lifestyle project catering to school children.

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Rebecca MalachiBSc

Rebecca is a pregnancy writer and editor with a passion for delivering research-based and engaging content in areas of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and post-pregnancy. She did her graduation in Biotechnology and Genetics from Loyola Academy, Osmania University and obtained a certification in ‘Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy’ from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU).

Read full bio of Rebecca Malachi

Aneesha AmonzMSc

Aneesha holds a Bachelor's degree in Biotechnology from USTM, Meghalaya and Master’s degree in Applied Microbiology from VIT, Vellore. With two years of experience, she has worked on different research projects in the field of Food Sciences.

Read full bio of Aneesha Amonz