Is Atlantic mackerel safe during pregnancy?
Fish
Best Choice, within oily-fish limits
FDA/EPA lists Atlantic mackerel as a Best Choice (2 to 3 servings a week); the NHS limits oily fish, mackerel included, to 2 portions a week.[1,2,3,4]
What official sources say
US FDA / US EPA: Advice about Eating Fish (For Those Who Might Become or Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding and Children Ages 1 - 11 Years)
- Fish chart:
Atlantic mackerel Best Choice
[1] - Pregnancy and breastfeeding:
Eat 2 to 3 servings a week from the "Best Choices" list (OR 1 serving from the "Good Choices" list).
[1] - Pregnancy and breastfeeding:
1 serving is 4 ounces
[1] Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding consume between 8 and 12 ounces per week of a variety of seafood from choices that are lower in mercury.
[1]
NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy
- Fish and seafood › Foods to limit: Oily fish, such as salmon, trout, mackerel, sardines and herring, should be limited to no more than 2 portions a week in pregnancy.[2]
NHS: Have a healthy diet in pregnancy
- Aim to eat 2 portions of fish a week, one of them an oily fish such as salmon, sardines or mackerel.[3]
ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024
- Chia seeds, mackerel, tuna and flax seeds are shown as foods rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (LCn-3PUFA). (p. 19)[4]
Related general rules
NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy
- Fish and seafood › Safe to eat: Cooked fish is safe to eat in pregnancy.[2]
US FDA: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)
Finfish should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145° F (63° C).
[5]
US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women
- Safer Choice:
Fish cooked to a safe internal temperature of 145°F or until the flesh is opaque and separates easily with a fork
[6]
Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)
| Energy | 205 kcal |
| Protein | 18.6 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Sugars | 0 g |
| Iron | 1.63 mg |
| Calcium | 12 mg |
| Folate (DFE) | 1 µg |
| Folate, total | 1 µg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 50 µg |
| Vitamin C | 0.4 mg |
| Vitamin D | 16.1 µg |
| Vitamin B12 | 8.71 µg |
| Choline | 65 mg |
| DHA (omega-3) | 1.401 g |
| EPA (omega-3) | 0.898 g |
| Caffeine | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 90 mg |
USDA FoodData Central: Fish, mackerel, Atlantic, raw (FDC ID 175119), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.
Sources
- US FDA / US EPA: Advice about Eating Fish (For Those Who Might Become or Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding and Children Ages 1 - 11 Years) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
- NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy · nhs.uk. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). Not endorsed by the NHS.
- NHS: Have a healthy diet in pregnancy · nhs.uk. Paraphrased. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL v3.0). Not endorsed by the NHS.
- ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 · nin.res.in. Printed page 19. Paraphrased and cited by printed page; the text is not reproduced.
- US FDA: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
- US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
Sources checked 26 September 2026.
Quotes are checked word for word against each source page, and paraphrases against the original text. Official bodies are named as sources only: none of them reviewed or endorses this page.
Educational information, not medical advice. Your own doctor or midwife may advise differently for you — follow their advice.