Is Mussels safe during pregnancy?

Seafood & shellfish

Cooked only

The NHS says cooked mussels are safe; the US FDA says to avoid raw or undercooked shellfish and cook mussels until their shells open.[1,2,3]

What official sources say

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Fish and seafood › Safe to eat: Cooked shellfish, including prawns, crab, lobster, squid, mussels, scallops, clams and cockles, is safe to eat in pregnancy.[1]

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

  • Cook clams, mussels, and oysters until their shells open. This means that they are done. Throw away the ones that didn't open.[2]
  • Moms-to-be should avoid eating raw or undercooked finfish or shellfish (including oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops).[2]

US FDA: Eating Out & Bringing In (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be)

  • Don't eat raw or undercooked finfish or shellfish (including oysters, clams, and mussels).[3]

Related general rules

US CDC: Safer Food Choices for Pregnant Women

  • Safer Choice: Shellfish cooked until shells open during cooking or until flesh is pearly or white, and opaque[4]

Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)

Energy86 kcal
Protein11.9 g
Fibre0 g
Sugars0 g
Iron3.95 mg
Calcium26 mg
Folate (DFE)42 µg
Folate, total42 µg
Vitamin A (RAE)48 µg
Vitamin C8 mg
Vitamin D0 µg
Vitamin B1212 µg
Choline65 mg
DHA (omega-3)0.253 g
EPA (omega-3)0.188 g
Caffeine0 mg
Sodium286 mg

USDA FoodData Central: Mollusks, mussel, blue, raw (FDC ID 174216), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.

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 FDA: Eating Out & Bringing In (Food Safety for Moms-to-Be) · fda.gov. US government work, public domain; quoted. No endorsement implied.
  4. 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.