Is Tuna steak (fresh tuna) safe during pregnancy?

Fish Also called Choori-min, Suraly (Tamil); Chuki, Bugudi, Ohaman, Gedar, Kuppa (Marathi); Gedar (Gujarati); Kuppa, Bugudi, Gedar (Marathi).

Limit to 2 steaks a week; avoid bigeye

The NHS says to eat no more than 2 tuna steaks a week; FDA/EPA rates yellowfin and albacore Good Choices and bigeye a Choice to Avoid.[1,2]

What official sources say

NHS: Foods to avoid in pregnancy

  • Fish and seafood › Foods to limit: Tuna should be limited in pregnancy to no more than 4 cans or 2 tuna steaks a week.[1]
  • Tuna and oily fish can contain pollutants, including mercury, that may harm the baby if you eat too much of them.[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)

  • Fish chart: Tuna, yellowfin Good Choice[2]
  • Fish chart: Tuna, albacore/white tuna, canned and fresh/frozen Good Choice[2]
  • Fish chart: Tuna, bigeye Choice to Avoid: HIGHEST MERCURY LEVELS[2]

Related general rules

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).[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]

ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024

  • Chia seeds, mackerel, tuna and flax seeds are shown as foods rich in long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (LCn-3PUFA). (p. 19)[5]

Nutrition per 100 g (USDA)

Energy109 kcal
Protein24.4 g
Fibre0 g
Sugars0 g
Iron0.77 mg
Calcium4 mg
Folate (DFE)2 µg
Folate, total2 µg
Vitamin A (RAE)18 µg
Vitamin C0 mg
Vitamin D1.7 µg
Vitamin B122.08 µg
Choline65 mg
DHA (omega-3)0.088 g
EPA (omega-3)0.012 g
Caffeine0 mg
Sodium45 mg

USDA FoodData Central: Fish, tuna, fresh, yellowfin, raw (FDC ID 175159), 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 / 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.
  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.
  5. ICMR-NIN: Dietary Guidelines for Indians 2024 · nin.res.in. Printed page 19. Paraphrased and cited by printed page; the text is not reproduced.

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.