Can Pregnant Women Eat Shrimp? – Facts and Benefits [Scientific Base]

Healthbeautyidea.com – For pregnancy to run smoothly without any health problems, women need to take care of their diet and limit certain types of food.

But for women who love seafood, this is usually quite risky, especially if you want to eat fish.

For pregnant women who want to eat shrimp, know how safe it is to consume it for your own body and the health of the fetus.

Can pregnant women eat shrimp?

Yes, pregnant women can eat shrimp as long as they don’t eat it every day or even excessively ^[1,2,3].

Pregnant women can eat shrimp because it is considered safe as long as the shrimp is cooked properly ^[1,2,3].

Shrimp provide nutrition for the mother and fetus to grow and develop properly and perfectly.

Although seafood is quite dangerous for pregnant women, already is an exception. Shrimp is rich in nutrients that are good for pregnancy conditions such as the following: ^{[1,2,3,4,5,6]}:

Omega-3 is a nutrient needed by pregnant women to make the pregnancy process and the condition of the fetus perfectly healthy ^[7].

Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to reduce the risk of premature birth if taken regularly during pregnancy ^[7].

Babies are also protected from the risk of being born with low weight if the mother consumes enough omega-3 ^[3,7].

Omega-3 from shrimp is also beneficial to support the development of the eyes and brain of the fetus; Because of this, eating shrimp is classified as a healthy diet for pregnant women ^[3,7].

Meanwhile, because shrimp is a source of the mineral iron, its intake will help the body of the mother and fetus to produce more blood ^[2,5].

Thus, the risk of iron deficiency anemia will also get smaller and during pregnancy the mother will also be more energetic with adequate red blood cell production ^[2].

What are the other benefits of shrimp for pregnancy?

Because pregnant women are allowed and safe to eat shrimp, know what are the benefits that can be obtained for the health of the mother and fetus.

Prevent pregnancy and childbirth problems

Not only omega-3 fatty acids, pregnant women who eat shrimp can meet the body’s need for the mineral selenium ^[8].

Both nutrients are equally important in maintaining the health of the mother and fetus ^[1,2,3,8].

Various risks of pregnancy complications such as: miscarriage, premature birth to babies born with low weight can be minimized ^[1,2,3,8].

For pregnant women who like shrimp, these various benefits are certainly a big advantage, starting from pregnancy to the delivery process ^[1,2,3].

Maintain thyroid gland function

In order for thyroid hormone production by the thyroid gland to remain normal during pregnancy, eating shrimp is one solution ^[1,8,9].

Shrimp is a high source of iodine, which if consumed by pregnant women will improve the health as well as the function of the thyroid gland ^[1,9].

The normal and good function of the thyroid gland will affect the production of thyroid hormones ^[1,9].

Thyroid hormone itself also plays an important role in fetal development, especially in the formation and development of the brain and nervous system ^[1,9].

Meet the body’s need for protein

The body’s need for protein will usually increase when you are pregnant ^[10].

Apart from dairy products and lean poultry, shrimp is a great source of protein ^[10].

Per 3 ounces of shrimp, there are 20 grams of protein that supports the health of the mother and fetus during pregnancy ^[10].

Tips for Processing and Eating Shrimp when Pregnant

To be safe for the body, processing shrimp and cooking it yourself is much better than buying it outside ^[3].

The following are a number of tips on processing and consuming shrimp during pregnancy ^[3].

• Buy shrimp that is still fresh and check the smell and the color of the shrimp when choosing them. Fresh shrimp have a clear, pearly color with little or no odor.
• When buying, make sure the shrimp is placed in a container filled with ice cubes so that they remain cold until they are stored in the refrigerator. The purpose of keeping the shrimp cool is to inhibit the growth of bacteria; Bacteria can grow if the shrimp is at a temperature of 4 degrees Celsius.
• Frozen prawns are highly recommended, but always make sure that there is no damage to the packaging and that the ice is not melted.
• Avoid eating shrimp before they are thoroughly cooked; eating it raw or undercooked can be harmful to the fetus because shrimp contains Salmonella bacteria and Listeria. Food poisoning to infections that harm the fetus is the biggest risk that needs to be watched out for.
• Wash the prawns first in cold running water before peeling them.
• After finish peeling, put the shrimp in a bowl filled with ice cubes.
• Cook the shrimp according to taste at the right temperature until cooked; most recommended to cook shrimp at a temperature of 63 degrees Celsius.
• Process shrimp by steaming, boiling, grilling or grilling them. When the prawns turn a more opaque color, this indicates that the prawns are well cooked and overcooked.
• If you don’t want to prepare your own and prefer to eat shrimp-based dishes in restaurants or outside, make sure the shrimp is cooked thoroughly with other ingredients that are safe for pregnancy.

Conclusion

Can Pregnant Women Eat Shrimp? Pregnant women can eat shrimp because shrimp actually provides high nutrition to support fetal development and maintain the health of the mother ^{[1,2,3,4,5,6]}.

However, pregnant women should only consume 2-3 servings per week and avoid overeating ^[2].