Can you eat swordfish while pregnant?
Not advisedNo, avoid swordfish during pregnancy. It is one of the highest-mercury fish in the sea, and both the FDA and the NHS put it on the do-not-eat list for pregnant women.
Why
Swordfish is a large, long-lived predator, which makes it a mercury concentrator: it sits on the FDA's short Choices to Avoid list alongside shark, marlin and bigeye tuna, and the NHS tells pregnant women not to eat it at all. Mercury crosses the placenta and can affect a baby's developing brain and nervous system, and unlike bacteria, no amount of cooking removes it. This is one of the few flat no's in pregnancy seafood, made easy by how many excellent low-mercury fish can take its place on the grill.
By trimester
The baby's brain and nervous system develop across all nine months, and mercury accumulates in your body over time, so the avoid rule applies from before conception through breastfeeding.
Safer alternatives
- Mahi mahi, within its 1 serving a week limit
- Grilled salmon steak, an FDA Best Choice
- Halibut, within its 1 serving a week limit
Sources
- FDA https://www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/foods-to-avoid/
Every verdict follows our sourcing methodology: official health guidelines only, most cautious position when they differ.
Frequently asked questions
I ate swordfish before I knew I was pregnant. Should I panic?
No. Mercury concerns are about repeated exposure, and a single meal is very unlikely to cause harm. Just avoid it from now on and mention it at your next appointment if it is on your mind.
Why can I cook away bacteria but not mercury?
Mercury is bound into the fish's muscle tissue as methylmercury, a stable compound that heat does not break down. Cooking solves the biology problems of fish, not the chemistry ones, which is why high-mercury species are avoided outright.
Which grilled fish gives the closest swordfish experience?
For that meaty steak texture, mahi mahi and halibut come closest, both FDA Good Choices at 1 serving a week. Thick-cut salmon steaks are the no-limit-worry option at 2 portions a week.
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Get instant verdicts on any foodpregAI is informational only and is not medical advice. Always check with your doctor or midwife about anything specific to your pregnancy.