Every pregnancy is different. Be sure to consult with a healthcare provider about your circumstances if you have any questions about eating crab while pregnant.
Can I Eat Crab While Pregnant?
Sarah Vanbuskirk is a writer and editor with 20 years of experience covering parenting, health, wellness, lifestyle, and family-related topics. Her work has been published in numerous magazines, newspapers, and websites, including Activity Connection, Glamour, PDX Parent, Self, TripSavvy, Marie Claire, and TimeOut NY.
Updated on March 05, 2022
Verywell Family / Photo Illustration by Nusha Ashjaee / Getty Images
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
When you’re pregnant, you’re nourishing your growing baby as you eat. So, it’s no wonder many people who are pregnant are concerned about only consuming foods that will be healthy for their babies. Still, you want to enjoy your favorite foods, when possible, and for many people, that includes crab.
Luckily, it’s generally safe to eat crab during pregnancy as long as it’s eaten fully cooked and in moderation. However, if you have never tried crab before, you may not want to try it for the first time in pregnancy. Shellfish allergies are common in adulthood and you do not want to risk an allergic reaction while pregnant. Learn more about how to safely consume crab while expecting.
Eating Crab During Pregnancy
Crab can be part of a healthy prenatal diet. It can be enjoyed in many ways, including right out of the shell with a squeeze of lemon, tossed into pasta or salads, piled on sandwiches, or made into crab cakes.
There are very few risks to eating crab while pregnant as long as food handling guidelines are followed and you don’t overindulge. Plus, seafood is a nutritious, low-fat protein option that is recommended to be eaten regularly during pregnancy by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Every pregnancy is different. Be sure to consult with a healthcare provider about your circumstances if you have any questions about eating crab while pregnant.
Is It Safe for Baby?
As long as crab is cooked through, it is safe for both the expectant parent and baby. “Often seafood is eaten raw and it might contain bacteria that can make the mom sick and can pass to the baby,” says Sandra Arévalo, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Nyack, New York and a national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. This is why eating crab fully cooked is important.
Another worry is potential contaminants. “The problem with seafood and fish, in general, is the amount of mercury it may contain that may be dangerous for both mom and baby and cause genetic malformations among other problems,” explains Arévalo. However, crab is a low mercury shellfish option. So, mercury is not a worry with this type of seafood.
Benefits of Eating Crab During Pregnancy
There are many great reasons to eat crab while pregnant, especially for those who enjoy this type of seafood.
“I highly recommend eating seafood during pregnancy,” says Dr. Amy Valent, DO, and assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology (maternal-fetal medicine) in the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine in Portland, Oregon.
Generally, eating seafood while expecting offers a great number of nutritional benefits, such as it being a lean source of protein. Crab in particular is also a good source of minerals, including calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, and potassium.
Safety Precautions
Even though eating low mercury fish and seafood, like crab, while pregnant is encouraged as a healthy part of a prenatal diet, there are several important safety precautions to follow.
Eat It Fully Cooked
The key to eating crab safely during pregnancy is to make sure you are only eating it when it’s fully cooked. Sometimes, crab and other types of shellfish are prepared raw or rare, says Arévalo. So, if you are not the one cooking it, make sure to ask that the meat in your dish is cooked thoroughly to an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
Source It Carefully
Some crab may be fished in areas where water contaminants are present, so it’s important for pregnant people to monitor where their seafood is coming from, explains Dr. Valent. “It should be emphasized that the benefits of seafood outweigh the risks,” she says. Still, in most cases, crab is a safe choice.
Also, make sure that the crab you eat (whether fresh or frozen) is not spoiled. The meat should not have a fishy smell, be slimy, or otherwise look “off.” The shells should not be cracked prior to cooking and the cooked meat should be white, opaque, and not mushy.
Limit How Much You Eat
As long as crab is thoroughly cooked, it is safe to eat 2 to 3 times per week maximum, with a weekly limit of 12 ounces total, says Dr. Valent. However, she encourages her patients to eat the full allotted amount of seafood, if possible, due to the nutritional benefits. “If we can get people to get even close to 12 ounces, we would be happy as providers,” says Valent.
A Word From Verywell
Crab is a welcome addition to a healthy diet for expecting individuals. As long as your crab is fully cooked, there are minimal risks to eating crab during pregnancy. So, feel free to eat crab (and/or other types of low-mercury seafood) a few times a week as a part of your prenatal diet. If you have questions about eating crab during your particular pregnancy, feel free to reach out to a healthcare provider.
Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Advice about eating fish.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Update on seafood consumption during pregnancy.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture. Crab, hardshell, steamed.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Selecting and serving fresh and frozen seafood safely.
By Sarah Vanbuskirk
Sarah Vanbuskirk is a writer and editor with 20 years of experience covering parenting, health, wellness, lifestyle, and family-related topics. Her work has been published in numerous magazines, newspapers, and websites, including Activity Connection, Glamour, PDX Parent, Self, TripSavvy, Marie Claire, and TimeOut NY.
Can Pregnant Women Eat Crab?
If you’re a seafood lover, you might be confused about which kinds of fish and shellfish are safe to eat during pregnancy.
It’s true that certain types of sushi are a big no-no while you’re expecting. But that doesn’t mean you’re banned from lobster bars or crab feasts for the next nine months.
Doctors want you to consume seafood. It’s a great source of protein, vitamins A and D, and essential omega-3 fatty acids. It’s great for baby’s brain and eye development. It might even help combat depression during pregnancy and postpartum.
So go ahead and enjoy that clam chowder or seared flounder filet. Just keep the following tips in mind.
Raw or undercooked fish and shellfish are more likely to contain harmful parasites and bacteria. Eating these could lead to foodborne illnesses like listeriosis, toxoplasmosis, and salmonella.
Pregnancy changes your immune system. This makes it more difficult for your body to fight off the foodborne microorganisms that cause these illnesses.
Your baby’s developing immune system isn’t advanced enough to fend for itself. Consuming raw or undercooked seafood could result in birth defects or miscarriage.
Most fish contain mercury, which may be harmful to your baby’s evolving nervous system in large amounts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends steering clear of:
- swordfish
- king mackerel
- tilefish
- shark
- marlin
Instead, opt for lower mercury options like shrimp, salmon, clams, tilapia, and catfish.
The FDA also recommends canned light tuna, saying it contains less mercury than albacore (white) tuna. But you might want to limit your canned tuna intake to 6 ounces each week or less. A 2011 Consumer Reports review found that canned tuna is actually the most common mercury source in the American diet.
Mercury can accumulate in the bloodstream over time, so it’s also important to monitor your intake before you become pregnant.
If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant and think you’ve been exposed to mercury, see your doctor immediately.
Most seafood contains some amount of mercury. But by eating a wide variety of fish and shellfish, you can reduce your overall mercury consumption.
During pregnancy, eating up to 12 ounces of seafood each week is considered safe. Keep in mind that a typical serving size for fish is 3 to 6 ounces.
One study published in The Lancet found no negative effects for pregnant women in the Seychelles who ate more than 12 ounces each week. In fact, the women in the study ate up to 10 times more fish than the average American. The study noted that these women ate a wide variety of ocean life.
Seafood can be safe during pregnancy, but only if it’s prepared correctly. So give yourself permission to be picky.
Undercooked seafood can be just as risky as the raw version. Most of the harmful parasites and bacteria are killed off during the cooking process. So make sure your food is piping hot. Use a cooking thermometer to be sure everything’s been cooked thoroughly. If your restaurant meal is served lukewarm, send it back.
Whether you’re cooking, eating out, or ordering for delivery, take care that your meal isn’t prepared near or on the same surface as raw fish or meat. This will decrease the likelihood of any parasites or bacteria being transferred onto your food.
Refrigerated smoked seafood is off-limits during pregnancy. So turn down anything marked “nova-style,” “lox,” “kippered,” smoked,” or “jerky.”
Also be wary of any fish caught in local waters, as it could contain contaminants. Consult guidelines and look for local fish advisories before eating locally caught fish. If you’re uncertain of the safety of fish you’ve already eaten, forego seafood for the rest of the week and call your doctor.
How your food is handled, prepared, and stored is also important for safety. Here are some tips for maximizing the safety and longevity of your seafood:
- Wash all cutting boards, knives, and food prep areas with hot, soapy water after handling raw seafood.
- Use separate knives and cutting boards for raw seafood.
- Fish should be cooked until it flakes and appears opaque; lobster, shrimp, and scallops until milky white; and clams, mussels, and oysters until the shells pop open.
- Store all leftover and perishable foods in an airtight container in the refrigerator at 40˚F (4 ˚C) degrees or lower, or in the freezer at 0˚F (–17˚C).
- Discard any food that’s been left out at room temperature for more than two hours.
- Toss out any perishable, precooked, or leftover food after four days.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling food.
Eating a variety of fish and shellfish is important for your overall health, especially during pregnancy. Aim for at least 8 ounces of pregnancy-safe seafood per week.
If you’re unsure what you should be eating or how much, ask your doctor.
Last medically reviewed on January 5, 2018
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