Eat Fish, Have a Bigger Baby

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Eat Fish, Have a Bigger Baby

By Randy Dotinga

HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, May 14 (HealthDayNews) -- Adding a new wrinkle to the long-

running debate over the safety of fish consumption by pregnant women,

British researchers are reporting that fish appears to boost the

weight of newborn babies.

The findings, which contradict previous studies linking consumption

of fish oil to longer pregnancies but not bigger babies, add " to the

evidence that fish is an important part of the human diet, " said

study co-author Imogen , a researcher at University of Bristol

in England.

However, a U.S. environmental watchdog organization continues to

advise American women to stay away from most fish if they're pregnant

or thinking about having a child. The risk from mercury in the fish

is just too large, contends the Washington D.C.-based Environmental

Working Group.

Indeed, the U.S. government advises pregnant women and young children

to avoid a number of types of fish, including shark, swordfish, king

mackerel, and tilefish.

The British researchers studied 11,585 pregnant women in southwest

England who completed surveys about their fish consumption. The mean

consumption of fish per day was 33 grams -- the equivalent of one-

third of a small can of fish, said. Most of the fish eaten was

whitefish. About a third was oily fish (a category that includes tuna

and swordfish), and 6 percent was shellfish. The researchers didn't

ask if the fish was canned or fresh.

They report their findings in the June issue of the Journal of

Epidemiology and Community Health.

Women who didn't eat fish were 1.37 times more likely to give birth

to under-weight infants than those who ate the most fish. The

researchers didn't find any link between fish consumption and length

of gestation, the period between conception and birth.

Bigger babies tend to be healthier babies, said. " Small babies

and premature babies are at greater risk of suffering from a number

of health problems. There is also evidence that small babies are more

likely to develop a number of diseases as adults, including coronary

heart disease and diabetes. "

Researchers have been studying possible links between fetal

development and maternal fish consumption for at least 20 years,

said. " One of the things that gave scientists the idea that

there might be a connection was that island populations with a lot of

fish in their diet, such as the Faroe and Orkney islanders, had

relatively high birth weights, " she said. Both groups of islands lie

off the coast of Scotland.

Oddly, studies tended to link consumption of fish oil supplements to

longer pregnancies, while the eating of fish itself appeared to

contribute to bigger babies, she said.

While the study findings need to be confirmed, they reinforce British

recommendations that pregnant women eat two portions of fish --

including one portion of oily fish -- per week. Women should avoid

fish that are high in mercury, like swordfish and marlin, and limit

consumption of tuna for the same reason, said.

" However, most fish are relatively low in mercury, and the possible

dangers of low level mercury consumption need to be balanced out

against other possible benefits from eating fish, " she said.

Despite such recommendations, the debate over fish consumption and

pregnancy continues to flare. Some studies suggest that mercury in

fish contributes to brain defects; other studies fail to find a

connection. One thing appears to be clear, however: women who eat

more fish consume more mercury. Mercury levels are almost four times

as high in women who eat at least three servings of fish a week

compared to those who eat no fish, some studies have shown.

While fish is good for most people, pregnant women should avoid it on

the whole, said Wiles, senior vice president of the

Environmental Working Group. " Unfortunately, we've contaminated this

wonderful food source with a very toxic metal. We wish women could

eat fish freely and not worry about mercury, but that's not the smart

thing to do. "

Wiles said some fish appear to be safe, including wild salmon and

farm-raised trout and catfish.

" But, " he added, " it's tough to say. We just don't have good

information on it and the government isn't providing it. For women,

the best advice is to moderate your consumption and eat a variety of

fish. Don't eat albacore tuna at all. If you're going to eat chunk

light tuna, we're recommending no more than a can every two weeks if

you're pregnant or you're even thinking about getting pregnant. "

SOURCES: Imogen , Ph.D., researcher, Unit of Paediatric and

Perinatal Epidemiology, Department of Child Health, University of

Bristol, England; Wiles, senior vice president, Environmental

Working Group, Washington D.C.; June 2004; Journal of Epidemiology

and Community Health

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