Can you eat salmon while pregnant?

Yes, you can eat salmon while pregnant. The NHS includes cooked salmon among the fish you can eat during pregnancy, and salmon is an oily fish. The main things to remember are that oily fish should be limited to no more than 2 portions a week, raw fish should be avoided, and cold-smoked or cured salmon should be cooked until steaming hot.

If you enjoy salmon, there is no need to remove it from your diet simply because you are pregnant. The type of salmon, how it has been prepared and how much oily fish you eat across the week are the useful details to check.

How much salmon can you eat during pregnancy?

The NHS advises trying to eat 2 portions of fish a week during pregnancy, with 1 portion being oily fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, mackerel or herring.

At the same time, it recommends eating no more than 2 portions of oily fish a week. A portion is around 140g when cooked.

Salmon counts towards that oily-fish limit. Other oily fish you eat during the same week count too, so the limit applies to the total rather than to salmon alone.

The reason for the maximum is that oily fish can contain pollutants that may build up in the body.

You do not need to eat exactly this amount. If you do not eat fish, dislike salmon or follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can speak to your midwife or a dietitian if you would like individual nutritional advice.

Why is salmon considered an oily fish?

Salmon belongs to the oily-fish group, alongside fish such as sardines, trout, mackerel and herring.

Oily fish provides long-chain omega-3 fatty acids. NHS guidance says these are important during pregnancy because they help a baby’s nervous system develop.

Fish also provides protein, vitamins and minerals as part of a varied diet.

That does not mean that eating more salmon is necessarily better. The NHS recommends balancing the nutritional benefits of oily fish with the limit of no more than 2 portions each week because of the pollutants oily fish can contain.

Does salmon need to be cooked during pregnancy?

Cooked salmon is listed by the NHS as safe to eat during pregnancy.

Current NHS pregnancy food guidance advises avoiding raw fish, including sushi made with raw fish. This means salmon should be cooked rather than eaten raw.

Good food hygiene matters too. Keep raw fish separate from ready-to-eat foods, wash your hands after handling it and follow storage and cooking instructions on the packaging.

If you are eating away from home and are unsure how the salmon has been prepared, asking the restaurant or café is a simple way to check.

Can you eat smoked salmon while pregnant?

Cold-smoked salmon needs more care during pregnancy.

The NHS advises that cold-smoked and cured fish, including smoked salmon, should be cooked until steaming hot before being eaten during pregnancy. This is because ready-to-eat cold-smoked and cured fish can carry listeria bacteria.

This guidance applies to products such as cold-smoked salmon and gravlax.

So a cold smoked-salmon bagel, for example, would not fit current NHS pregnancy guidance if the salmon is eaten straight from the packet. Smoked salmon that has been thoroughly cooked until steaming hot is treated differently.

If you are unsure whether a salmon product is hot-smoked, cold-smoked, cured or fully cooked, check the packaging or ask before eating it.

Can you eat raw salmon or salmon sushi while pregnant?

The NHS advises avoiding raw fish during pregnancy.

That includes sushi made with raw fish, even if the fish was previously frozen.

You can eat sushi made with cooked fish or cooked shellfish according to NHS guidance, so cooked-salmon sushi may be an option if all of its ingredients are suitable during pregnancy.

Restaurant menus do not always make the preparation method obvious. If a dish contains salmon described as raw, sashimi, tartare or similar, it is worth checking with the restaurant rather than assuming it has been cooked.

What about canned salmon?

Canned salmon can be eaten during pregnancy.

It is still salmon, so it counts as oily fish towards the NHS recommendation of no more than 2 portions of oily fish per week.

Tinned salmon can also contain edible soft bones. The NHS notes that tinned salmon with bones can provide calcium and phosphorus.

As with other packaged foods, follow the manufacturer’s storage instructions and use-by information. Once a can has been opened, follow the label’s advice about refrigeration and how quickly it should be eaten.

Can you eat salmon sandwiches and salads?

Salmon can be part of a sandwich or salad, but the type of salmon matters.

Cooked salmon can be eaten during pregnancy. Cold-smoked or cured salmon should be cooked until steaming hot rather than eaten cold.

The NHS also advises keeping pre-packaged sandwiches and salads containing fish chilled and eating them before their use-by date. Some chilled ready-to-eat foods can carry listeria bacteria.

If you prepare a salmon salad at home, wash salad vegetables thoroughly and follow normal food hygiene practices.

Is farmed salmon safe during pregnancy?

NHS pregnancy guidance does not tell pregnant people to avoid salmon simply because it is farmed.

The relevant guidance is based on salmon being an oily fish and on how the fish is prepared. Cooked salmon can be eaten, while oily fish should be limited to no more than 2 portions a week.

Raw salmon should be avoided, and cold-smoked or cured salmon should be cooked until steaming hot.

If you have concerns about a particular salmon product, its origin or a food recall, check the product information and seek advice from the retailer or an appropriate health professional rather than relying on general pregnancy guidance alone.

What if you ate smoked or raw salmon before knowing the guidance?

Finding out that a food is on an avoid or caution list after you have already eaten it can be unsettling.

General food-safety guidance cannot tell you what an individual exposure means for you or your pregnancy. If you have eaten raw, cold-smoked or cured salmon and are concerned, speak to your midwife, GP or maternity unit for advice based on your circumstances.

The NHS advises seeking medical advice if you are pregnant and think you may have listeriosis. Symptoms can include a high temperature, aches and pains, chills, feeling or being sick, and diarrhoea. Some people may have no symptoms.

Do not use the absence or presence of symptoms to diagnose yourself. A healthcare professional can advise you about what, if anything, needs to happen next.

When to get professional advice

Contact your midwife, GP or maternity unit if you are unsure whether a particular salmon product is suitable during pregnancy, especially if you have been given individual dietary or medical advice.

If you think you may have listeriosis, the NHS advises asking for an urgent GP appointment or contacting NHS 111 if you are pregnant and have symptoms of listeriosis, have eaten food recalled because of listeria and have symptoms, or have recently eaten food recalled because of listeria and are concerned.

If you feel seriously unwell or have symptoms that need immediate medical attention, seek urgent medical care. Call 999 in a life-threatening emergency.

Pregnancy food guidance can change, so checking current NHS advice is sensible if you are uncertain about a particular product.