Is Scallops safe during pregnancy?

Fish

Best Choice, cooked only

FDA/EPA lists scallops as a Best Choice; the NHS says cooked scallops are safe and the US FDA says to avoid them raw.[1,2,3]

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: Scallop 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 › Safe to eat: Cooked shellfish, including prawns, crab, lobster, squid, mussels, scallops, clams and cockles, is safe to eat in pregnancy.[2]

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

  • Cook shrimp, lobster, and scallops until they reach their appropriate color.[3]
  • Moms-to-be should avoid eating raw or undercooked finfish or shellfish (including oysters, clams, mussels, and scallops).[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)

Energy69 kcal
Protein12.06 g
Fibre0 g
Sugars0 g
Iron0.38 mg
Calcium6 mg
Folate (DFE)16 µg
Folate, total16 µg
Vitamin A (RAE)1 µg
Vitamin C0 mg
Vitamin D0 µg
Vitamin B121.41 µg
Choline65 mg
DHA (omega-3)0.061 g
EPA (omega-3)0.042 g
Caffeine0 mg
Sodium392 mg

USDA FoodData Central: Mollusks, scallop, mixed species, raw (FDC ID 174220), per 100 g. Public domain. Values describe that USDA record; composition varies with variety and preparation.

Sources

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. US FDA: Meat, Poultry & Seafood (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.