Is Catfish safe during pregnancy?
Fish
Official sources differ
The official sources below do not agree, so each position is shown with who holds it.[1,2,3]
- FDA/EPA and US CDC: Catfish is a Best Choice and a low-mercury fish (2 to 3 servings a week).
- FSANZ: Limit catfish to 1 portion a week, with no other fish that week.
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:
Catfish 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]
US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women
FSANZ: Mercury in fish
- Women who are pregnant or planning pregnancy: 1 portion is 150 grams:
1 portion per week of Orange Roughy (Deep Sea Perch) or Catfish and no other fish that week, OR
[3]
Related general rules
NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy
- Fish and seafood › Safe to eat: Cooked fish is safe to eat in pregnancy.[4]
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
[2]
US FDA / US EPA: Advice about Eating Fish (For Those Who Might Become or Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding and Children Ages 1 - 11 Years)
Some fish caught by family and friends, such as larger carp, catfish, trout and perch, are more likely to have fish advisories due to mercury or other contaminants.
[1]
Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)
| Energy | 95 kcal |
| Protein | 16.38 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Iron | 0.3 mg |
| Calcium | 14 mg |
| Folate (DFE) | 10 µg |
| Folate, total | 10 µg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 15 µg |
| Vitamin C | 0.7 mg |
| Vitamin D | 12.5 µg |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.23 µg |
| DHA (omega-3) | 0.234 g |
| EPA (omega-3) | 0.13 g |
| Sodium | 43 mg |
USDA FoodData Central: Fish, catfish, channel, wild, raw (FDC ID 174186), 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.
- US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
- FSANZ: Mercury in fish · foodstandards.gov.au. © Food Standards Australia New Zealand, licensed under CC BY 4.0; 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.
- US FDA: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.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.