Can I eat Mackerel (Atlantic)?

Mackerel (Atlantic) is considered safe to eat during pregnancy. Atlantic mackerel is low in mercury and high in omega-3s. It provides valuable nutrients including Omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D, B12, which support healthy fetal development. Important to note: Avoid king mackerel — choose Atlantic or Pacific mackerel only. According to FDA guidelines, mackerel (atlantic) can be enjoyed as part of a balanced pregnancy diet.

A "Generally Safe" rating means this food doesn’t carry a pregnancy-specific safety concern beyond ordinary food-handling practices — the same basic hygiene and storage habits that apply to anyone. These ratings are based on general guidance from the FDA, ACOG, CDC, and USDA rather than a claim that every possible preparation of the food is automatically fine; how something is prepared, stored, and served still matters. If a "generally safe" food has any handling caveats (like a preparation method or freshness window), they’re noted separately in the sections below rather than changing the overall rating.

Avoid king mackerel — choose Atlantic or Pacific mackerel only

The FDA and EPA's joint fish advisory recommends pregnant women eat 2-3 servings (about 8-12 oz total) of low-mercury seafood per week — options like salmon, shrimp, pollock, catfish, and canned light tuna. Higher-mercury fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, and bigeye tuna should be avoided, since methylmercury can affect fetal brain development. Separately from mercury, raw or undercooked seafood (sushi, raw oysters, ceviche) carries a risk of Listeria, parasites, and other foodborne bacteria, so seafood should generally be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F. Fish also provides omega-3 fatty acids (DHA and EPA) that support fetal brain and eye development, which is part of why the FDA/EPA advisory recommends regular low-mercury fish intake rather than avoiding fish altogether.

This food doesn’t carry any pregnancy-specific restriction, so it can generally be eaten throughout all three trimesters as part of a normal, varied diet. As always, total nutrition — not any single food — is what matters most, so pair it with a range of other safe foods rather than relying on it heavily on its own. If you have a personal medical condition such as gestational diabetes, a food allergy, or a provider-specific dietary restriction, that guidance takes priority over general pregnancy safety information like this.

Beyond food-specific guidance, a few baseline food-handling habits reduce risk across everything you eat during pregnancy. These come from general FDA and USDA food-safety guidance rather than being specific to any one food, and they apply the same way in every trimester: