Can Pregnant Women Eat Ceviche?

You’re not alone if you’re nervous about eating ceviche. Is it, like many other seafood dishes, on the list of foods to avoid during pregnancy? Let’s find out.

This is a simple question with a simple answer. Unfortunately, ceviche isn’t safe to eat while pregnant because it contains raw seafood. 1

Ceviche is made of chunks of raw fish, shrimp, and other seafood. It’s seasoned with spices like onions, pepper, and cilantro, and it’s marinated in lime juice.

You may have heard that lime juice’s acidity can “cook” the raw seafood in ceviche. This isn’t true. While lime juice can change the protein structure of seafood, making it firmer and more opaque, it doesn’t actually cook it or kill harmful pathogens like heat does. 2

Why is raw seafood unsafe to eat while pregnant?

Raw seafood, including ceviche, is unsafe to eat while pregnant because it’s more likely to contain harmful bacteria and parasites than cooked seafood. 3

The main bacteria you need to be aware of is Listeria monocytogenes. This bacteria can cause a disease called listeriosis, which you’re 10 times more likely to contract during pregnancy due to your lowered immune system. 4

Contracting listeriosis puts you at risk of several serious complications, such as: 5

• Miscarriage
• Stillbirth
• Health issues in your newborn
• Infant death
• Low birth weight
• Premature labor

Given the serious risks of listeriosis, you’ll need to avoid ceviche, sashimi, and all varieties of sushi containing raw fish during pregnancy.

If you ate ceviche while pregnant, don’t panic. Although listeriosis is dangerous, your odds of contracting it after one mistake are relatively low.

With that said, keep an eye out for listeriosis symptoms, which include: 6

• Fever
• Muscle aches
• Fatigue
• Other flu-like symptoms

Be aware that the symptoms of listeriosis during pregnancy can take up to 2 months to appear, and you might not have any symptoms at all. However, you can still pass the disease to your baby even if you feel fine. 4

Always let your doctor know if you accidentally ate raw seafood. The earlier they can detect and treat listeriosis, the better chances your baby has of coming out unharmed.

Just because ceviche is off the table when you’re pregnant doesn’t mean all seafood dishes are. In fact, many of them are excellent nutrient sources for you and your growing baby.

You can eat seafood safely by following these tips:

Cook your seafood thoroughly

To kill listeria and other harmful bacteria and parasites in your seafood, cook it until its internal temperature reaches 145°F (63°C).

Here’s how to tell that different kinds of seafood are fully cooked: 7

• Fish: Its flesh becomes opaque and flakes easily with a fork.
• Shrimp, scallops, crab, and lobster: The flesh becomes firm and opaque.
• Clams, mussels, and oysters: The shells open while you cook them.

Refrigerate any leftovers within two hours (or one hour if the room temperature is over 90°F or 32°C). 7

Eat low-mercury seafood in moderation

You should only eat low-mercury seafood during pregnancy. High-mercury seafood can harm your baby’s brain and nervous system development. 8

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) categorizes seafood into three categories according to their mercury levels. 9

Seafood Chart Based on Mercury Levels

The FDA suggests you have 8–12 ounces of seafood from the “best choices” list or 4 ounces from the “good choices” list per week.

Don’t eat seafood from the “choices to avoid” list, as those options have high mercury levels. 9

Cooked seafood is a great addition to your pregnancy diet because it’s packed with essential nutrients that benefit various aspects of your baby’s development, such as her: 9

• Brain (aided by omega-3 and omega-6 fats, iron, iodine, and choline)
• Spinal cord (choline)
• Immune system (iron, zinc, and vitamin D)
• Nervous system (vitamin B12) 10

Stick to the recommended seafood types and amounts to give your growing baby her weekly nutritional boosts safely.

As tempting as the vibrant flavors of ceviche are, it’s important to avoid the dish for your baby’s well-being. For now, satisfy your seafood cravings by eating thoroughly cooked, low-mercury fish and shellfish.

You’re doing the right thing by being cautious and eating healthily; before long, you can reward yourself with a bowl of delicious ceviche while your little one sleeps soundly by your side!