"FISH FOR THE PREGNANT WOMEN"

  Pregnant women who eat fish regularly should count themselves Lucky. Their fish in-take does not only contribute to their good health but their children's brain development as well.

   A research has revealed that children whose mothers eat more fish at meal per  day/week during pregnancy performed better on tests of verbal and visual development. Where as children whose mothers eat fish with high mercury levels scored low in the test. This study is published in American Journal of Epidemiology.

  Pregnant women are thus advised to avoid fish such as Shark, Swordfish, Kingmackeral and Tilefish, which are more likely to be contaminatedwith mercury, a metal that is toxic to the brain cells, particularly in foetuses and young children. Oily fish like Tuna, Sardine and Salmon are recommended because they contain Omega-3 fatty acids which are important in foetal and child brain development.

  Finally, eating fish with lower mercury content could allow for stronger mental development.  Recommendations for consumption during pregnancy should take account fo the nutritional benefits of fish as well as the potential harms from mercury exposure.