Is Herring safe during pregnancy?
Fish
Best Choice, within oily-fish limits
FDA/EPA lists herring as a Best Choice (2 to 3 servings a week); the NHS limits oily fish, herring included, to 2 portions a week.[1,2]
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:
Herring 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]
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).
[3]
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
[4]
Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)
| Energy | 158 kcal |
| Protein | 17.96 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
| Sugars | 0 g |
| Iron | 1.1 mg |
| Calcium | 57 mg |
| Folate (DFE) | 10 µg |
| Folate, total | 10 µg |
| Vitamin A (RAE) | 28 µg |
| Vitamin C | 0.7 mg |
| Vitamin D | 4.2 µg |
| Vitamin B12 | 13.67 µg |
| Choline | 65 mg |
| DHA (omega-3) | 0.862 g |
| EPA (omega-3) | 0.709 g |
| Caffeine | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 90 mg |
USDA FoodData Central: Fish, herring, Atlantic, raw (FDC ID 175116), 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.
- 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.