Is Sushi Safe to Eat Pregnancy Risks

Is sushi safe to eat? is one of those questions that keep popping up when a woman gets pregnant. In Japan, sushi is considered healthy to eat during pregnancy but the Americans have put a ban on eating sushi during pregnancy. However, the Japanese believe that this is an insult to their culture and one should not be prejudiced or ignorant of another person's culture by rejecting foods that are perfectly normal to eat. There is no scientific evidence to justify the assumption that sushi can pose a risk when it is eaten by a pregnant woman.

It is no longer a necessity for a pregnant woman to avoid sushi regardless of whether seafood is cooked or not, a pregnant woman is advised to choose food that is low in mercury. Seafood that is low in mercury includes shrimp and salmon while seafood that is high in mercury includes fresh tuna. In addition, a pregnant woman should make sure that her food is bought from a reputable establishment. On top of that she should ensure that she stores, handles and cooks the food properly, and consumes it within a few days of buying.

Is sushi safe to eat is a question that people ask because of three food borne pathogens that are mainly a concern for a pregnant woman. These pathogens include salmonella enteric, listeria monocytogenes and toxoplasma. Such organisms can be passed  from a pregnant woman to the unborn baby and there is an increased risk of still birth, spontaneous abortion and other complications. However, neither of the above named organisms should be a concern while eating sushi. Eating raw fish in moderation is safe although it is recommended that you choose fish that is low in mercury such as shrimp and salmon over fish that is high in mercury like fresh tuna.

The good thing about Japanese food is the fact that it is considered low fat and healthy, and therefore sushi should be considered an ideal meal for a pregnant woman. In Japan, a pregnant woman does not stop consuming sushi when she becomes pregnant. As part of your healthy, low fat diet when you are pregnant, many pregnancy books by the Japanese suggest easting sushi. It is a tradition in Japan that a post-partum woman gets particular kinds of sushi while they are recovering in a hospital. However, in America, a pregnant woman is discouraged from eating sushi on the assumption that eating raw fish can harm her.

Is sushi safe to eat is a question that can also be answered in a negative manner. Some experts believe that the risk of bacterial infection is too high and they recommend that pregnant women avoid sushi. Cooked sushi is considered safe but raw sushi is said to harbor harmful bacteria and parasites such as tapeworms. A tapeworm infection during pregnancy could make you ill and it will also steal nutrients from your body. You and your unborn baby require all the nutrients that you can get and therefore you need to avoid getting infected by a tapeworm.

A pregnant woman's immune system has been suppressed so that her body does not attack her developing baby by mistake. This means that she has an increased risk of becoming sick. A food borne illness can be a mild one or a severe one. When it is severe, it could lead to a miscarriage as well as other complications. Although the risk of contracting parasitic infections from consuming raw Sushi is low, a majority of the experts would want a pregnant woman to be in safe hands and this is why they do not recommend eating raw sushi during pregnancy.