Will eating fish make you less stressed during pregnancy?

March 09, 2016 by Abra Annes

Getting ready for baby is enough to make any first time mom feel pretty stressed out from time to time, and with good reason!

But what if there was a healthy, all-natural way of scaling back your anxiety levels and getting a rejuvenating burst of energy while you’re sporting that oh-so-cute baby bump? Chances are you’d be pretty psyched, and it turns out, there’s a way after all: Just eat some fish.

Something fishy during pregnancy

According to one Brazilian study, eating one serving of fish per week while you’re expecting could significantly reduce anxiety and help moms-to-be feel more enthusiastic about welcoming a new little guy or gal into the world.

What fish in particular? According to researchers from the Federal University of Pelotas, salmon and tuna may be among the best fish for women who are expecting.

They recruited 9,500 women for the study and put them into groups based on their dietary habits. Participants who never or rarely ate salmon or tuna – both considered dark or oily fish – were 53 percent more likely to be affected by anxiety in the third trimester than women who didn’t. In turn, women who ate fish once a week enjoyed overall better moods and outlooks!

“In order to have a healthy pregnancy, women need to follow a healthy diet, and not something special for pregnancy,” said study author Juliana Vaz.

Watching out for mercury

While fish can make for a yummy dinner for moms-to-be that’s packed with omega-3s and B vitamins, it’s also important that expecting women be on the lookout for fish that may include mercury, as this can be hazardous to a woman’s health.

Mercury can negatively impact a baby’s development, too, and is most commonly found in four types of fish: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish.

But those aren’t the only types of fish that can have mercury. Bass, perch, lobster, tuna and cod can all have low levels of mercury and women should be careful not to have more than six 6-ounce servings per month of these varieties, as it could create problems.

Before making any dietary changes, though, women should be sure to reach out to a healthcare provider for more information!