Hi there-
Does anyone know if it is okay to eat lobster while pregnant? I have heard to different things and wanted to check and see if anyone knew anything or had any advice...

TIA-
Kate

You'll be fine. Lobster is not considered one of the fish that is high in mercury and since its cooked you don't have to worry about other problems that some shellfish have.

I think I saw on Good Morning America that of all the fish that pregnant women can eat, crustations are the best.

This is from babycenter UK

Some types of sushi (such as steamed crab and cooked eel), are fine to eat while you're pregnant. However, you may prefer to avoid eating the kinds that contain raw seafood.



Fresh, raw seafood is potentially risky because it can contain parasites such as tapeworms, which, if they grow large enough, could rob your body of nutrients needed for your growing baby (http://www.babycentre.co.uk/refcap/4540.html). Freezing and cooking kills the parasites. For this reason, many Japanese restaurants that specialise in sushi use frozen rather than fresh fish. You may like to ask a restaurant if they do freeze fish before serving it raw. Many restaurants lightly sear fresh fish on the outside, then serve it rare, but you may be safer if you order it well cooked.

Oysters and other shellfish should be avoided during pregnancy, unless they are part of a hot meal and have been thoroughly cooked. This is because, when they are raw, these types of seafood might be contaminated with harmful bacteria and viruses. These are usually killed by proper cooking.

For seafood safety at home, you should cook most seafood to an internal temperature of 145 degrees F (63 degrees C) for 15 seconds. If you don't have a thermometer, the guidelines listed below can help you to determine whether seafood is done.

• For fish: Slip the point of a sharp knife into the flesh and pull aside. The edges should be opaque and the centre slightly translucent, with flakes beginning to separate.

• Let the fish stand three to four minutes to finish cooking.

• Prawns and lobster turn red when cooked; the flesh becomes pearly opaque. Scallops appear milky white or opaque and firm.

• For clams, mussels, and oysters, watch for the point at which their shells open, which indicates that they're done. Throw out those that remain closed after cooking.

• When microwaving seafood, rotate the dish several times to ensure even cooking. After letting the dish stand, check seafood in several spots with a thermometer to see if it has reached the proper temperature. One concern about seafood, raw or cooked, is PCB and chemical contamination. As a general rule, ocean fish such as tuna, sea bass, sole, cod, haddock, and plaice are safer than river and lake varieties.

Thanks very much for the info Melissa!

How did I know that my sister would be the one posting this :lol:

I ate lobster all the time with devan, and a couple times with kalliyan.