Can You Eat Tuna While Pregnant?
Yes, but limit it — tuna contains mercury, so cap canned light tuna and especially limit albacore and fresh tuna steak.
The full answer
Tuna is nutritious but accumulates mercury, which in large amounts can affect a baby's developing nervous system — so the guidance is about quantity, not banning it. Canned light (skipjack) tuna is lower in mercury: the FDA places it in the "best choices" group, up to about 2–3 servings a week. Albacore (white) tuna, canned or fresh, and yellowfin tuna are higher in mercury — the FDA limits these to 1 serving (4 oz) a week and says to avoid bigeye tuna. The NHS advises no more than two tuna steaks or four medium cans a week. Always choose cooked or canned tuna, never raw.
How to eat tuna safely
- Canned light/skipjack tuna: up to ~2–3 servings a week
- Albacore (white) or yellowfin tuna, canned or fresh: limit to 1 serving a week (skip bigeye)
- Always cooked or canned — never raw (no raw tuna sushi/sashimi)
When to avoid: Avoid raw tuna and high-mercury fish (bigeye tuna, swordfish, shark, king mackerel) entirely.
Tuna by trimester
| Stage | What changes |
|---|---|
| First trimester | Tuna is the mercury question rather than the bacteria one, and the caution applies from the start because mercury accumulates. Which tuna matters more than whether it's tinned or fresh. |
| Second trimester | Unchanged. Guidance is generally framed as a weekly allowance rather than avoidance, so it's about tracking roughly how much you're having across the week. |
| Third trimester | Same position. Mercury exposure is cumulative across pregnancy, so consistency matters more than any single meal. |
Common questions about tuna in pregnancy
How much tuna can I eat while pregnant?
Guidance varies by country, but the common shape is that light or skipjack tuna is allowed more freely than albacore or white tuna, which carries a lower weekly limit, and that bigeye tuna is best avoided. Check the figure that applies where you live — your provider or national food-safety guidance will have the specific numbers.
Is tinned tuna different from a tuna steak?
Generally yes. Tinned light tuna tends to come from smaller species with less accumulated mercury, while steaks and sashimi-grade tuna are often larger species. The species on the label matters more than the format.
Does cooking reduce mercury?
No. Mercury isn't affected by cooking — it's bound in the flesh. That's why the advice is about species and portions rather than preparation, which is different from the listeria advice covering other foods.
The general rules on listeria, mercury, caffeine and alcohol are in our pregnancy safety guide, and you can track your pregnancy with the How Far Along Am I? calculator and the week-by-week guide.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you eat tuna while pregnant?
- Yes, but limit it — tuna contains mercury, so cap canned light tuna and especially limit albacore and fresh tuna steak. Tuna is nutritious but accumulates mercury, which in large amounts can affect a baby's developing nervous system — so the guidance is about quantity, not banning it. Canned light (skipjack) tuna is lower in mercury: the FDA places it in the "best choices" group, up to about 2–3 servings a week. Albacore (white) tuna, canned or fresh, and yellowfin tuna are higher in mercury — the FDA limits these to 1 serving (4 oz) a week and says to avoid bigeye tuna. The NHS advises no more than two tuna steaks or four medium cans a week. Always choose cooked or canned tuna, never raw.
- Why is tuna something to be careful with in pregnancy?
- Tuna is nutritious but accumulates mercury, which in large amounts can affect a baby's developing nervous system — so the guidance is about quantity, not banning it. Canned light (skipjack) tuna is lower in mercury: the FDA places it in the "best choices" group, up to about 2–3 servings a week. Albacore (white) tuna, canned or fresh, and yellowfin tuna are higher in mercury — the FDA limits these to 1 serving (4 oz) a week and says to avoid bigeye tuna. The NHS advises no more than two tuna steaks or four medium cans a week. Always choose cooked or canned tuna, never raw.
- When should I avoid tuna during pregnancy?
- Avoid raw tuna and high-mercury fish (bigeye tuna, swordfish, shark, king mackerel) entirely.
Sources
This answer was checked against the following public guidance. Advice can differ between countries; your midwife, doctor or pharmacist can apply it to you.