Can you eat sushi when pregnant?

Yes, many types are generally fine, especially cooked fish and vegetable rolls. Raw fish is generally advised against, so choose cooked options when you eat sushi.

Is it safe to eat sushi during pregnancy?

It depends on the ingredients. Raw fish carries food safety risks, so it is generally advised against. Cooked and vegetarian sushi is usually considered lower risk.

Is sushi safe for pregnancy?

Some sushi is safe, but raw fish is generally advised against. Ask your provider about tuna and mercury, since some types have higher levels than others.

Can I eat any sushi while pregnant?

Not all of it. Avoid raw fish and raw shellfish. Cooked fish, imitation crab, and vegetable rolls are usually the safer choices. Limit tuna.

Can I eat sushi while pregnant?

Key points

Raw fish and raw shellfish in sushi are generally advised against during pregnancy.
Cooked sushi, vegetable rolls, and fully cooked fish are usually considered lower risk.
Ask your doctor or midwife about fish with higher mercury levels, like some tuna.

Why it matters

Raw and undercooked seafood can carry germs like Listeria, Salmonella, and parasites. Pregnancy can make you more likely to get seriously sick from Listeria, and that infection can affect the baby.

Fish also contains mercury. Too much mercury may harm a developing baby’s brain and nervous system.

What is OK and what is not

Generally OK:

Cooked fish or shellfish, such as shrimp tempura, cooked eel, or crab that has been fully heated
Vegetable rolls, cucumber rolls, and avocado rolls
Rolls made with cooked fish or imitation crab

Generally advised against:

Raw fish, including sashimi, nigiri, and rolls with raw tuna, salmon, or yellowtail
Smoked seafood served cold, unless it is cooked in a dish
Raw shellfish, such as raw oysters

Limit: Some fish is lower in mercury and fine in moderate amounts. Many guides suggest 2 to 3 servings a week of lower-mercury fish. Some tuna, like albacore or yellowfin, has more mercury, so many providers suggest keeping those to about one serving a week. Avoid fish with the highest mercury, such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and bigeye tuna.

Practical tips

Ask the restaurant whether the fish is raw or cooked, and which type of tuna they use.
Choose rolls with cooked or vegetable fillings when you are unsure.
Eat sushi fresh and avoid leftovers that have sat out.
Keep your choices simple. A few cooked or vegetable options can satisfy the craving.
Ask your doctor or midwife if you have questions about your specific diet, since guidance can differ by person.

If you already ate raw sushi

Eating raw sushi once is not usually a reason for panic. Most people do not get sick from it. Stop eating raw fish from now on, and watch for symptoms over the next few weeks. Contact your provider if you have concerns, so they can help you decide whether any follow-up is needed.

When to contact your provider

Contact your doctor or midwife right away if you have fever, chills, muscle aches, diarrhea, vomiting, or unusual tiredness after eating raw or undercooked fish. Get emergency care for severe symptoms.

Questions people ask

Sources

General information only; it does not replace advice from your doctor or midwife.