Is Fish curry / cooked fish safe during pregnancy?

Indian foodFish

Safe when cooked through

The NHS lists cooked fish as safe; the US FDA and CDC say to cook fish to 145°F (63°C).[1,2,3,4,5]

What official sources say

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Fish and seafood › Safe to eat: Cooked fish is safe to eat in pregnancy.[1]

US FDA: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)

  • Finfish should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145° F (63° C).[2]

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[3]

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.[4]

ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024

  • Its pregnancy food groups include marine fish and lean meat, at 80 g a day or 250 to 300 g twice a week. (p. 16)[5]

Related general rules

US FDA / US EPA: Advice about Eating Fish (For Those Who Might Become or Are Pregnant or Breastfeeding and Children Ages 1 - 11 Years)

  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding: Eat 2 to 3 servings a week from the "Best Choices" list (OR 1 serving from the "Good Choices" list).[6]

Sources

  1. 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.
  2. US FDA: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  3. US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women · cdc.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  4. 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.
  5. ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 · nin.res.in. Printed page 16. Paraphrased and cited by printed page; the text is not reproduced.
  6. 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.

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.