Women Must Avoid Eating Fish If They are Planning to Conceive

A new study has suggested that women who are planning to conceive must avoid including fish in their diet.

Researchers indicate that fish and shellfish contain harmful chemicals including persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and methylmercury. These chemicals have been linked to reproductive, developmental, behavioral, neurologic, endocrine and immunologic adverse health effects, as per evidence presented to the Environmental Protection Agency in the US.

The study found that a woman could reduce prenatal POP exposure by 37% if she vegetables for fish five years prior to conception. "If the potential mother replaces fish with vegetables for 30 years prior to childbirth, she could reduce prenatal POP exposure of her kid even by 85%," the researchers wrote.

The study details appear in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

Source: Medindia