Can I Eat Sashimi While Pregnant?

Q: Can I eat sashimi while pregnant?

Best to avoid. These dishes are raw or only lightly cured rather than cooked with heat. Citrus juice in ceviche firms up the fish but does not kill Listeria, Vibrio, or other harmful bacteria the way cooking does. The CDC advises avoiding raw and undercooked seafood in pregnancy because these infections can cross the placenta and seriously affect your baby.

Best to avoid

General guidance from CDC. Please always check with your provider.

Sashimi, ceviche, and raw oysters are favorites for many people, so it's worth knowing why they're on the not-now list during pregnancy.

Why

These dishes are raw or only lightly cured rather than cooked with heat. Citrus juice in ceviche firms up the fish but does not kill Listeria, Vibrio, or other harmful bacteria the way cooking does. The CDC advises avoiding raw and undercooked seafood in pregnancy because these infections can cross the placenta and seriously affect your baby.

How to enjoy it safely

Enjoy the same flavors fully cooked instead, such as seared-through fish, cooked shrimp, or a cooked seafood dish heated to 145F. Save sashimi and raw oysters to celebrate after delivery.

When to ask your provider

Let your Garden OB/GYN provider know if you ate raw seafood and develop fever, chills, or stomach upset.

Source: CDC

More foods that are best to avoid

This page is for general education and is not medical advice. It summarizes guidance from CDC, which can change, and individual situations vary, so please confirm with your Garden OB/GYN provider.

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