Karina Almanza, CSUN Dietetic Intern 2017

Francesca Campisi, R.D. and Johanna Molina, WIC Pacoima

Mercury Handout Summary

A common question that the participants of WIC/ Pacoima had were, Is having fish during my
pregnancy or during breastfeeding, bad for my baby? Hoping to address several concerns and questions
regarding the topic of mercury and toxicity, I created a handout that answered this question in the form or
risks, concerns, benefits and all the more reason to incorporate fish in moderation into the diets of
pregnant and postpartum.
What I found through resources available from CSUNS Oviatt Library was that some benefits of
incorporating fish during pregnancy include it acting as a great source of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty
acids helps boost the immune system, strengthens the cell membrane development of the fetus, reduced
blood pressure and reduces postpartum depression or depression during pregnancy. During breastfeeding,
the benefit that I emphasized of fish consumption was the association with positive child cognitive
development and physical growth and development (Oken, 2008).
Another sensitive question that was asked was will my baby be receiving the mercury from the
fish I consume? And unfortunately, the answer is yes. But compared to the ample amount of benefits, it
is recommended that fish is consumed in small quantities and with quality in mind to avoid an excess of
mercury. Although it was not discussed with the preceptors to include the last portion of my handout,
Which fish to choose and avoid? I felt it was important to include because it addresses the question that
requires guidance as a response. A rule of thumb that I would generally recommend to participants was
that the smaller the fish, the less mercury. The fish that I recommended in the handout included sardines,
anchovies, salmon, pollock, catfish, shrimp and canned light tuna. It is recommended that the fish that is
eaten from cans are in cans of water, low sodium and not in cans of olive oil, which will significantly
increase the fat content and caloric value.