GUIDE
Sushi During Pregnancy
WITH CAUTION — cooked sushi is safe, but raw fish sushi should be avoided.
Raw fish can carry parasites and bacteria that pose risks during pregnancy. Stick to cooked rolls and vegetable rolls.
Be prepared from day one
The Short Answer
You can absolutely eat sushi during pregnancy — you just need to stick to cooked rolls. Shrimp tempura, California rolls, eel, cooked crab, and vegetable rolls are all safe options. What you should avoid is any sushi made with raw or undercooked fish.
The FDA recommends that pregnant women avoid raw fish due to the risk of parasites (like Anisakis) and harmful bacteria (like Listeria monocytogenes and Vibrio). These infections can cause serious complications during pregnancy, including preterm labor and miscarriage.
For a complete overview, see our complete food safety guide.
Safe Sushi Options
- Shrimp tempura rolls — shrimp is fully cooked during frying
- California rolls — made with cooked imitation crab (surimi)
- Eel (unagi) rolls — eel is always served cooked
- Cooked salmon rolls — make sure the salmon is fully cooked, not raw
- Veggie rolls — avocado, cucumber, sweet potato, and asparagus are all safe
- Crab rolls with real cooked crab — safe when the crab is fully cooked
- Chicken teriyaki rolls — fully cooked poultry
Always confirm with the restaurant that the fish in your roll is fully cooked.
Sushi to Avoid
- Raw tuna rolls — including spicy tuna with raw fish
- Salmon sashimi — raw salmon can harbor parasites and bacteria
- Raw yellowtail (hamachi) — uncooked fish poses infection risk
- Any roll with raw fish — even 'sushi-grade' fish is not guaranteed safe
- Ceviche — the acid from citrus does not kill all parasites and bacteria
- Raw shellfish — raw oysters, clams, and scallops
These guidelines are based on FDA recommendations for pregnant women.
Why Raw Fish Is Risky During Pregnancy
Raw fish can carry several types of harmful organisms. Parasites like Anisakis are common in raw marine fish and can cause severe abdominal pain and allergic reactions. Bacteria like Listeria monocytogenes can grow even at refrigerator temperatures and are particularly dangerous during pregnancy — pregnant people are about 10 times more likely to get listeriosis than the general population.
For healthy, non-pregnant adults, the risk from high-quality sushi is very low. But pregnancy changes your immune system in ways that make you more susceptible to foodborne illness, and the consequences are more severe because they can affect your baby.
The FDA's recommendation is clear: pregnant women should avoid raw or undercooked fish and shellfish entirely. This isn't about being overly cautious — it's about the risk-benefit math changing during pregnancy.
For more on mercury concerns with different fish species, see our mercury in fish guide. For information about listeria specifically, read our listeria and pregnancy guide.
Tips for Safe Sushi Eating
Order from restaurants you trust — ones with good hygiene practices and high turnover (meaning the fish is fresh). Always ask if a roll contains raw fish; some rolls that sound cooked may include raw components.
When ordering, tell your server you're pregnant and ask them to recommend cooked options. Most sushi restaurants have several cooked rolls on the menu. You can also request that any roll be made with cooked fish instead of raw.
If you're making sushi at home, cook all fish to an internal temperature of 145°F. Use a food thermometer to be sure. This kills parasites and bacteria while still giving you delicious fish for your rolls.
Cooked seafood is an excellent part of a pregnancy diet — shrimp and salmon are both low in mercury and high in nutrients your baby needs. Tuna is also safe in moderation, though you'll want to watch mercury levels. See our best foods for pregnancy guide for more on building a nutrient-rich diet.
This guide is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with any questions about your pregnancy.
