Can You Eat Crab While Pregnant? (And What About Imitation Crab?!)

I grew up on tuna melts, so when I got pregnant with my first child I checked whether you can eat seafood while pregnant right away. I quickly memorized the recommended intake amounts for canned albacore versus chunk light tuna and followed them to the letter (yes, even when I was really craving another tuna melt). But the first time someone offered me a crab cake during pregnancy, I was stumped… Can you eat crab while pregnant? I hadn’t studied the shellfish category!

The good news for crustacean lovers is that it’s generally safe to eat crab during pregnancy. “Most crabs contain exceedingly low mercury levels—[and there’s] very little variation across different crab species,” explains Dr. Kecia Gaither, MD, an ob-gyn, maternal fetal medicine provider and associate professor of clinical obstetrics and gynecology at Cornell Weill Medicine.

So whether you’re steaming king crab legs or indulging in a California roll, you can enjoy moderate amounts of crab to your heart’s content. Learn what else you need to know about eating crab during pregnancy, ahead.

Key Takeaways

• Pregnant women should avoid eating too much seafood because it contains mercury, but crab has a low mercury content and you can eat it a few times per week.
• Crab is high in protein and essential vitamins and minerals like B12, zinc and selenium, making it a nutritious alternative to other types of protein during pregnancy.
• You should always cook crab to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees to eliminate bacteria that could make you sick.

Can I Eat Crab While Pregnant?

Yes, you can eat crab during pregnancy—but moderation is important. While crab is one of the lowest-mercury seafoods out there, there’s still some mercury in it.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), pregnant women can safely eat 8 to 12 ounces of low-mercury seafood per week (or two to three servings of 4 ounces each)—whether it’s crab, tilapia, salmon, shrimp or another favorite.

Mandy Fawcett, PA-C, a certified physician assistant with a special interest in women’s health at ProMD Health in Bethesda, Maryland, shares that she ate crab during her own pregnancy, but limited her intake to about a palm-sized portion once a week of steamed snow crab leg meat or lump crab prepared at home.

What Are the Benefits of Adding Crab to Your Diet?

There are plenty of reasons to include crab—and seafood in general—in your diet during pregnancy. Seafood has a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential for fetal brain development, and is one of the few natural food sources of vitamin D, says Dr. Ella Speichinger, MD, an ob-gyn at University of Missouri Health Care. During pregnancy, getting enough vitamin D is important for baby’s bone development, and it may even lower your risk of preeclampsia.

Crab is also high in protein, which helps support lean muscle mass, stabilize blood sugar and help with tissue growth and fetal development during pregnancy, notes Kristen Reed, RN, BSN, a nutritionist, certified health and wellness coach and mom of two in Massachusetts.

Reed adds that crab has plenty of vitamin B12, which supports brain function, nerve function and energy production. It also contains several essential minerals: selenium, which supports thyroid function and metabolism; zinc, which supports cell function, your immune system and baby’s growth; and phosphorus, which supports bone and teeth health in you and baby.

“It was a great way to satisfy my craving for sushi and get enough protein, which was difficult for me throughout my pregnancy—I had an aversion to a lot of typical protein options,” recalls Suzanne D., a mom of two and registered dietitian in New York.

Safety Considerations for Eating Crab in Pregnancy

Just because crab is a low-mercury seafood doesn’t mean it’s safe to eat in every situation. You should never consume raw or undercooked crab because it could contain foodborne pathogens like listeria or salmonella.

While any type of food poisoning can be dangerous during pregnancy, listeriosis poses a unique risk: “Listeria crosses the placenta,” says Dr. Speichinger, “[and] can cause miscarriage, preterm labor, fetal infection and lifelong health issues for the infant.”

To avoid foodborne illness, Dr. Gaither advises cooking crab to an internal temperature of 145 degrees, at which point it should be opaque and flaky.

You might also want to avoid eating crab in other scenarios. “I was strict about ‘no buffet seafood’ and no refrigerated, pre-made crab dips unless [they were] heated through,” says Fawcett.

Can I Eat Imitation Crab While Pregnant?

Yes. Imitation crab, also called surimi, isn’t actually crab at all: It’s a blend of minced white fish or seafood paste and starch, sugar, sodium, additives and other artificial ingredients like crab flavoring. Though the fish used to make imitation crab can vary from pollock to tilapia to cod, all of these options are also low in mercury, says Dr. Speichinger, so eating imitation crab doesn’t change your seafood risk profile.

That said, imitation crab is an ultra-processed food, so you won’t get the same health benefits—and you should definitely eat it in moderation.

When Courtney S., a mom of four and certified nutritionist from Texas, was pregnant, she says she opted for California rolls with real snow crab because it contains more protein than imitation crab. “When you’re pregnant, there are only so many things your body or stomach can tolerate,” Courtney says. “Luckily, crab was something that was still appealing, and with it being a great source of protein and omega-3s, it fit well into my desired pregnancy diet.”

To Sum It Up

Crab is a high-protein seafood full of beneficial vitamins and minerals, and it’s low in mercury—which means you can easily incorporate it into your pregnancy diet. Just make sure to stick to 8 to 12 ounces of low-mercury seafood (including crab) per week, and always cook crab to at least 145 degrees. Enjoy those delicious crab legs!

How We Developed This Article

We spoke with two ob-gyns, as well as a nutritionist and a physician assistant, to determine whether it’s safe to eat crab during pregnancy. We also research on crab’s mercury levels, through various government and academic sources, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Cochrane Library. We spoke with two moms about their experiences. Finally, this article was fact-checked and medically reviewed through our thorough editorial and medical review process.

Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.