Seafood consumption during pregnancy may enhance a child's behavioral, social, and cognitive development, with benefits reported from infancy through adolescence. Digest
Seafood provides essential nutrients, but it also raises concerns during pregnancy. Although seafood is high in compounds that promote fetal brain development, worries about mercury levels have frequently shaped recommendations. A recent systematic review found that seafood consumption during pregnancy may enhance a child’s behavioral, social, and cognitive development.
Researchers reviewed 40 studies (primarily long-term observational research) that tracked seafood consumption during pregnancy and children’s developmental outcomes, including behavior, social-emotional skills, and cognitive abilities. They screened each study for quality and assessed the strength of the evidence based on consistency, effect size, and study design.
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They found that children whose mothers consumed more seafood during pregnancy tended to demonstrate better behavioral and social-emotional development from infancy through adolescence and stronger overall developmental scores before age 4. Some studies linked higher seafood intake to improved attention, reasoning, and verbal intelligence, although findings in those areas were less consistent. The researchers found little to no evidence regarding seafood intake during lactation, and results were mixed for outcomes such as movement, language, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorder.
These findings suggest that eating seafood during pregnancy—within current recommendations of 8 to 12 ounces per week—supports a child’s development, especially in social and behavioral areas. Learn more about optimizing one’s diet and lifestyle for pregnancy in Aliquot #100: Optimizing for a Healthy Pregnancy & Early Childhood