Can Pregnant Women Eat Shrimp? What You Need to Know
I’ve been a shrimp fan my whole life. Coconut shrimp, shrimp scampi, steamed shrimp…sign me up. But I had a momentary freak-out at a restaurant during my first pregnancy when I went to order the shrimp cocktail and realized it might not be okay. (Spoiler alert: Shrimp cocktail is generally fine since it’s cooked. Still, I ended up skipping my go-to appetizer to be safe.)
Certain types of seafood are higher in mercury and not recommended for pregnant people and other sensitive groups. So, can pregnant women eat shrimp? Below, experts break down everything to know about eating shrimp while pregnant, including safety precautions to take, recommended amounts, benefits and more.
- Can I eat shrimp while pregnant? Yes, you can eat shrimp while pregnant—as long as it’s fully cooked and you eat it in moderation.
- Shrimp is low in mercury, which makes it a great choice for pregnancy, a time when you should avoid high-mercury seafood.
- Aim for between 8 and 12 ounces weekly of shrimp (and other low-mercury seafood).
- Studies show that eating shrimp and other shellfish may help decrease the risks of pre-term birth and low birth weight in baby. For moms-to-be, the omega-3s are heart-healthy and fight inflammation.
In short: Yes, but only if it’s fully cooked. This means you should avoid raw-shrimp sushi while pregnant, alongside dishes like ceviche.
Shrimp is a great choice for moms-to-be because it’s a low-mercury seafood, alongside salmon, pollack, sardines and catfish, says Dr. Laura Riley, MD, an ob-gyn specializing in high-risk pregnancies and chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. “The seafood that pregnant women should avoid completely are the high-mercury ones, such as shark, tilefish, swordfish and king mackerel.”
Jillian A., a mom of two in Maryland, says she often ordered shrimp tempura sushi (which is cooked) during pregnancy. “As a highly anxious person, I had a lot of questions about what was and wasn’t safe during pregnancy,” she shares. “But I had no concerns as it was cooked and my ob-gyn said it was fine.”
How much shrimp is safe to eat during pregnancy?
Stick to between 8 and 12 ounces of low-mercury seafood, including shrimp, weekly, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). And, as with shrimp, make sure all the seafood you eat while pregnant is thoroughly cooked.
I craved shrimp scampi all throughout my second pregnancy. I had gestational diabetes, so—in my mind—the protein in the shrimp balanced out the carbs in the pasta!
Eating shellfish and other low-mercury fish during pregnancy carries health benefits for you and baby.
- It may lower the risk of pre-term birth. For starters, studies have shown that eating shrimp and other shellfish while pregnant may decrease the risk of preterm birth. Research has also found that eating shellfish and shrimp during pregnancy may help decrease risks of low birth weight.
- It’s nutrient-dense for baby. Dr. Cynthia DeTata](https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/cynthia-detata),,) MD, an ob-gyn at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health says that shrimp also has tons of beneficial nutrients for baby, including protein, selenium, iodine and vitamin D. “They also contain long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA),” she adds. “PUFAs are essential fatty acids that are needed for membrane development and cell growth.”
- It’s good for you, too. Alongside benefits for baby, shrimp also helps moms-to-be. It’s low in carbs, but high in protein, which can make it beneficial for those at risk for gestational diabetes, explains Dr. Alicia Robbins, MD, a board-certified ob-gyn and founder of The Elm in Greenwich, Connecticut. And those omega-3s are great for your heart, brain health, fighting inflammation and more.
When it comes to eating shrimp during pregnancy, you’ll want to:
- Stick to the recommended amount. Again, aim for between 8 to 12 ounces weekly—it’s important to have some seafood, but not to overdo it. “Shrimp has one of the lowest amounts of mercury of seafood, so you’re relatively safe consuming more shrimp than tuna while pregnant, for example,” Dr. DeTata says. But it could still contain trace amounts of the toxin.
- Ensure it’s fully cooked. Raw foods, including raw shrimp, carry the risk of bacteria and parasites, which can cause food poisoning. Mainly they include vibriosis and norovirus, but their consumption could also cause listeria, E. coli and salmonella. “With the immune [changes] of pregnancy, you’re even more at risk when eating infected raw shrimp,” Dr. DeTata explains. “Being ill with a high fever isn’t good during pregnancy, and some infections can increase the risk of miscarriage or preterm birth.”
- Give it the smell test. If you’re buying fresh shrimp, you’ll want to make sure that it looks and smells fresh, suggests Julie Lamppa, APRN, CNM, a certified nurse-midwife at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. The shrimp should have a grayish color, a firm feel and legs that are intact. It should also have a salty smell, like the ocean.
- Eat at places you trust. Eating at a restaurant? “Go to a place where you know you’ll get well-prepared food. You don’t want to get bad shrimp,” Dr. Riley advises.
I'd pass on raw shrimp while pregnant, but I never thought twice about ordering dishes like shrimp tacos… I always made sure to eat my cooked shrimp from restaurants I trusted, though.
Mercury is the big concern with eating cooked seafood in pregnancy, says Dr. Dillon Rachel Knight, MD, an ob-gyn at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital in Astoria, New York. Experts suggest these low-mercury seafood options:
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Anchovies
- Tilapia
- Cod
- Catfish
- Canned light tuna
- Flounder
Unsafe seafood for pregnancy
The following seafood options have high levels of mercury that can interfere with baby’s development, Dr. Knight says:
- Shark
- Swordfish
- King mackerel
- Tilefish
- Marlin
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you eat shrimp cocktail while pregnant?
“You can eat shrimp cocktail since they’re thoroughly cooked,” Dr. Robbins says. That said, you may want to use your best judgment if the shrimp cocktail has been sitting out at room temperature for a long time, as it may no longer be fresh and safe.
Can you eat raw shrimp while pregnant?
Eating raw shrimp while pregnant is not recommended. It increases the risk of ingesting harmful bacteria and food poisoning, which can be especially dangerous during pregnancy. Cooked shrimp is safest.
Can you eat ceviche while pregnant?
You should avoid ceviche while pregnant since it’s traditionally made with raw shrimp or raw fish.
Can you eat prawns in pregnancy?
Though prawns and shrimp have some subtle differences (i.e. prawns are larger), they’re in the same category as shrimp and are considered safe in pregnancy—as long as they’re fully cooked, of course.
Is frozen or fresh shrimp better to eat while pregnant?
Although both are safe for pregnancy if cooked, nurse-midwife Lamppa says you may be slightly better off with frozen shrimp. “Freezing can inactivate [certain] parasites, which adds another layer of protection,” she explains. “Frozen shrimp may also have better overall consistency of temperature, as it’s not laying out on a fish counter.”
Who shouldn’t eat shrimp during pregnancy?
If you have a shellfish allergy, you should, of course, avoid shrimp in pregnancy, Dr. Knight says. She also adds a warning: if you can’t guarantee the shrimp was properly handled, avoid eating it entirely. Stick to getting your shrimp and seafood from reputable places with strong food-safety protocols.
Eating shrimp during pregnancy is a great way to get enough protein and omega-3s in your pregnancy diet. Just be mindful that you should never eat it raw, and limit yourself to a few servings a week. Otherwise, you should be just fine to dive into those delicious shrimp tacos. As always, reach out to your provider with any specific questions.
Shrimp is a popular form of protein that shows up in a range of tasty dishes, but not all seafood is considered safe during pregnancy. To learn more about whether pregnant women can eat shrimp, we consulted with a nurse-midwife and four ob-gyns. We also talked to real moms to learn more about their experiences with eating shrimp during pregnancy, along with any concerns they had.
After editing, this article was vetted through fact-check and reviewed by our ob-gyn medical adviser. Learn more about how we ensure the accuracy of our content through our editorial and medical review process.
About the author: Mom of four Korin Miller is a frequent shrimp eater who got nervous about having her favorite seafood during her first pregnancy. She was relieved to discover it was just fine. An experienced health and pregnancy writer and parent, Korin infuses every article she works on with empathy and learned wisdom. Her work has appeared in publications such as Women’s Health, Prevention, Cosmopolitan and The Washington Post.
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.
Plus, more from The Bump:
Dr. Cynthia DeTata, MD, is an ob-gyn at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and clinical associate professor in maternal-fetal medicine at Stanford Medicine. She earned her medical degree from University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine and completed her residency at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Clara.
Dr. Dillon Rachel Knight, MD, is an ob-gyn at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital in Astoria, New York. She earned her medical degree from the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.
Julie Lamppa, APRN, CNM, is a nurse-midwife at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and co-author of Obstetricks(https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/189300564X?&linkCode=ll1&tag=tb-when-does-implantation-occur-20&linkId=54d89726590deb77f5c18209a4026173&language=en_US&ref=asli_ss_tl).
Dr. Laura Riley, MD, is a board-certified obstetrician who specializes in high-risk pregnancies. She serves as the department chair of obstetrics and gynecology at Weill Cornell Medicine, as well as the obstetrician and gynecologist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center, based in New York City. She received her medical degree and completed her residency at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Dr. Alicia Robbins, MD, is a board-certified ob-gyn and founder of The Elm, a boutique women’s health practice in Greenwich, Connecticut. She graduated from medical school and residency at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. She worked at Mount Sinai Hospital before relocating to Greenwich, Connecticut, where she practices at The Elm and Greenwich Hospital.
Food and Drug Administration, Advice about Eating Fish, March 2024
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, Maternal seafood consumption and fetal growth: a birth cohort study in urban China, April 2023
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, Maternal intake of seafood and supplementary long chain n-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids and preterm delivery, January 2017
Real-parent perspectives:
- Natalie Gontcharova, senior editor at The Bump and mom of one
- Jillian A., mom of two in Maryland
- Michelle G., mom of two in Van Nuys, California
Learn how we ensure the accuracy of our content through our editorial and medical review process.
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