Can You Eat Sushi While Pregnant?
Cooked sushi is fine in pregnancy; raw-fish sushi is best avoided.
The full answer
Sushi itself isn't the issue — raw fish is. Raw and undercooked fish can carry listeria bacteria and parasites, and listeria infection (listeriosis) is rare but more likely and more serious in pregnancy. Cooked options — California rolls with cooked crab or imitation crab, cooked eel (unagi), cooked shrimp (ebi), and fully vegetarian rolls — are considered safe. You should also avoid high-mercury fish such as bigeye tuna in any form. Sushi rice, seaweed, avocado, and cucumber are all fine. So you don't have to give up your favourite sushi spot — just order from the cooked side of the menu.
How to eat sushi safely
- Choose cooked fillings: cooked crab/imitation crab, cooked shrimp, cooked eel, or veggie rolls
- Skip raw tuna, salmon, and other raw-fish nigiri/sashimi
- Avoid high-mercury fish (bigeye tuna, swordfish, king mackerel)
When to avoid: Avoid any raw or undercooked fish, and raw shellfish. If you're unsure how a roll was prepared, ask, or pick a clearly cooked or vegetarian option.
Sushi by trimester
| Stage | What changes |
|---|---|
| First trimester | The concern is raw fish rather than sushi itself — listeria and parasites are the issue, and listeria is a particular concern in pregnancy. Cooked and vegetarian rolls are a different matter entirely. |
| Second trimester | Unchanged. Mercury becomes the second consideration if you eat fish often, which is about the species rather than whether it's raw. |
| Third trimester | Same guidance. Listeria risk persists throughout pregnancy, so this isn't something that relaxes later on. |
Common questions about sushi in pregnancy
Can I eat cooked sushi rolls while pregnant?
Rolls made with cooked fish, cooked shellfish or vegetables are generally considered fine — the advice is about raw fish specifically. California rolls, cooked eel, tempura and vegetable rolls are the usual suggestions, assuming normal food-hygiene standards at the restaurant.
Is the problem mercury or bacteria?
Mostly bacteria and parasites, with listeria the main concern — pregnancy raises susceptibility to it and the consequences can be serious. Mercury is a separate issue that depends on the species, and it applies to cooked fish as well.
People in Japan eat sushi while pregnant — why the difference?
Advice genuinely does vary between countries, reflecting different food systems, supply chains and risk conventions rather than different biology. If you're following guidance where you live, the sensible thing is to follow it consistently rather than mix the two.
Pregnancy food-safety basics
Most “can I have this?” questions in pregnancy come down to four things. Listeria — a bacterium that survives the fridge — is why chilled ready-to-eat meats, pâté, and mould-ripened soft cheeses are heated or avoided. Mercury is why certain fish are limited. Caffeine is capped at about 200 mg a day. And alcohol is best avoided entirely, as no safe amount is known. Cooking food until it’s steaming hot kills listeria and most other bugs, which is why “heat until steaming” solves so many of these questions.
For the full picture, see our pregnancy safety guide, and track your pregnancy with the How Far Along Am I? calculator and the week-by-week guide.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you eat sushi while pregnant?
- Cooked sushi is fine in pregnancy; raw-fish sushi is best avoided. Sushi itself isn't the issue — raw fish is. Raw and undercooked fish can carry listeria bacteria and parasites, and listeria infection (listeriosis) is rare but more likely and more serious in pregnancy. Cooked options — California rolls with cooked crab or imitation crab, cooked eel (unagi), cooked shrimp (ebi), and fully vegetarian rolls — are considered safe. You should also avoid high-mercury fish such as bigeye tuna in any form. Sushi rice, seaweed, avocado, and cucumber are all fine. So you don't have to give up your favourite sushi spot — just order from the cooked side of the menu.
- Why is sushi something to be careful with in pregnancy?
- Sushi itself isn't the issue — raw fish is. Raw and undercooked fish can carry listeria bacteria and parasites, and listeria infection (listeriosis) is rare but more likely and more serious in pregnancy. Cooked options — California rolls with cooked crab or imitation crab, cooked eel (unagi), cooked shrimp (ebi), and fully vegetarian rolls — are considered safe. You should also avoid high-mercury fish such as bigeye tuna in any form. Sushi rice, seaweed, avocado, and cucumber are all fine. So you don't have to give up your favourite sushi spot — just order from the cooked side of the menu.
- When should I avoid sushi during pregnancy?
- Avoid any raw or undercooked fish, and raw shellfish. If you're unsure how a roll was prepared, ask, or pick a clearly cooked or vegetarian option.