Shrimp During Pregnancy: How Much, How to Cook It, and Crab
Shrimp is an FDA Best Choice for mercury. How many servings fit in a pregnancy week, how to tell it is cooked, and how crab and prawns compare.
The short answer: Yes, you can eat shrimp while pregnant when it is fully cooked. Shrimp is on the FDA's Best Choices list for mercury, and FDA's pregnancy advice is 2 to 3 servings a week from that list, with one serving equal to 4 ounces. Raw or undercooked shrimp, as in ceviche or some sushi, is on the CDC's riskier list.
How much shrimp can I eat while pregnant?
FDA does not set a separate shrimp limit. Its advice is 2 to 3 servings a week in total from a variety of Best Choices, which include shrimp, salmon, cod, crab, and canned light tuna. One 4-ounce serving of shrimp plus one 4-ounce serving of salmon makes two servings for the week. The Dietary Guidelines figure FDA cites is 8 to 12 ounces a week of a variety of seafood lower in mercury.
Our low-mercury fish guide lists the Best Choices, Good Choices, and fish to avoid.
How do I know shrimp is cooked?
The FDA's seafood advice for moms-to-be says to cook shrimp and lobster until the flesh is opaque (milky white). The CDC similarly says to cook shellfish until the flesh is pearly or white, and opaque. Grilled, boiled, sautéed, and baked shrimp all work when the whole piece reaches that point.
Can you eat cold shrimp or shrimp cocktail?
Cold shrimp fits the cooked-shellfish guidance when it was fully cooked before chilling. Ask or check the package to confirm the shrimp were cooked, keep it refrigerated, and follow FDA's rule not to leave perishable food out for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F). Skip shrimp that was "cooked" only in citrus juice, as in ceviche, because the CDC lists ceviche as a riskier choice.
Can you eat crab while pregnant?
Yes, when it is cooked. Crab is also an FDA Best Choice, and it counts toward the same 2 to 3 weekly servings as shrimp. Crab legs, crab cakes, and blue crab follow the CDC's shellfish rule: cook until the flesh is pearly or white and opaque. PregNut's cooked blue crab entry lists 17.88 g protein and 3.33 mcg vitamin B12 per 100 g.
What nutrients does shrimp provide?
PregNut's historical USDA-based data lists cooked shrimp at 22.78 g protein, 135.4 mg choline, and 0.14 g DHA per 100 g. FDA notes that fish provide omega-3 fats (DHA and EPA), iron, iodine, and choline. See our choline guide for how that compares with eggs and other foods.
Common questions
Are prawns the same as shrimp for pregnancy?
The CDC's shellfish rule applies to both: cook until the flesh is pearly or white and opaque. Count them toward your weekly seafood servings.
What if I ate undercooked shrimp?
The CDC says most people get vibriosis by eating raw or undercooked shellfish, particularly oysters. If you are pregnant and have a fever with other flu-like symptoms, see your doctor.
Is shrimp high in mercury?
No. FDA places shrimp in its lowest-mercury group, Best Choices.
Related: lobster during pregnancy and salmon during pregnancy.
Sources: FDA advice about eating fish, FDA meat, poultry, and seafood safety for moms-to-be, FDA ready-to-eat foods for moms-to-be, CDC safer food choices for pregnant women, CDC vibriosis, and CDC food-poisoning symptoms. This guide is educational and does not replace prenatal care.