DrGreene Content
The National Academy of Sciences issued a 1999 report estimating that 60,000 children are born in the US each year with neurologic problems caused by mercury exposure in the uterus. Although most fish contain trace amounts of mercury, the benefits of most seafood outweigh the risks. But large fish that feed on other fish can accumulate enough mercury to irreversibly damage a baby’s nervous system. Accordingly, the US Food and Drug Administration issued a consumer advisory for 2001: Pregnant women, nursing mothers, young children, and women who may become pregnant should avoid eating swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tilefish. They did not include fresh tuna steak on the list, although consumer groups such as the Mercury Policy Project and the Center for Science in the Public Interest believe it should also be avoided.
Alan Greene MD FAAP
Originally published: January 26, 2001
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