Risks and Benefits of Fish Consumption For Childbearing Women

Abstract

Pregnant women's fish consumption provides both benefits and risks to the developing fetus. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from fish may enhance fetal neurodevelopment, while methylmercury (MeHg) can have detrimental effects. Dietitians would benefit from information on the frequency with which fish species may be consumed to increase DHA intake among Canadian women of childbearing age, and on minimizing the risks from MeHg, especially for those who consume fish frequently. Eighteen fish species were selected for DHA and mercury analysis from retail markets in the Toronto area. Consumption scenarios using analytical results for these fish species indicate that women of childbearing age can consume nine of 18 fish species every day (14 servings a week) or often (up to four servings a week) and remain below toxicological benchmarks for mercury. Moreover, women can also attain the recommended DHA level by consuming six of those nine fish: four 75-g servings of smelt, porgie, or bluefish a week, or two 75-g servings of milkfish, silver pomfret, or tilapia a day. Our analysis indicates that the DHA level recommended for childbearing women can be attained through fish consumption alone, without the need for supplementation and without posing a risk to the woman (or the fetus) from mercury.

Biochemical Factors Modulating Cellular Neurotoxicity of Methylmercury

“…Fish is not only an excellent nutritional source of protein, vitamins, zinc, and other minerals, but it is also a source of exposure to MeHg [144, 145]. One of the leading controversies in the MeHg literature originates from advisories concerning the consumption of fish [146] and from uncertainties in documentation from various regulatory agencies regarding the effects of MeHg.…”

Fish for Dinner? Balancing Risks, Benefits, and Values in Formulating Food Consumption Advice

“…(9,12,(33)(34)(35) They have been used effectively to show how to obtain adequate omega-3 intakes from fish without exceeding the reference dose for methylmercury. (36) Disability-and quality-adjusted life years (DALY and QALY) can be incorporated to quantify quality of life factors associated with toxicological or nutritional impacts, (37) but not all the broad health and environmental issues associated with a given food. (38) Despite the boundaries of what they incorporate, these health outcome measures are the gold standard for jointly assessing direct physical health risks and benefits from foods.…”

“…Although HIA would not be used to generate food consumption advice, agencies could draw on HIA risk appraisal tools to anticipate environmental, social, or other indirect effects (e.g., unsustainable fish consumption patterns due to omega-3 fatty acid recommendations) that may not be immediately obvious. The field of decision Quantitative dose-response assessment (9,12,35,36) Assessing effects in relation to exposure.…”

Balancing the benefits of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the risks of methylmercury exposure from fish consumption

“…Many countries have analyzed n‐3 PUFA and MeHg levels in their local fish to help public health professionals make the appropriate recommendations. The results of such an approach have been reported, for example, in Bermuda, 149 Canada, 150 France, 151 Spain, 152 and the United States 32 . Recommendations on limiting consumption of specific amounts of MeHg, particularly among women of child‐bearing age, while promoting fish consumption were made in each case.…”