Fish:  You may eat up to 12 ounces (approximately 2 average meals) per week of fish or shellfish that are lower in mercury including salmon, canned light tuna, pollock, catfish, and shrimp.  Avoid shark, swordfish, king mackeral, and tilefish.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommend that pregnant women eat no more than 6 ounces of albacore (white) tuna per week.  They should also avoid eating any game fish without first checking its safety with their local health department.  For more information about the risks of mercury in fish and shellfish or for information about specific types of fish, visit the FDA's Food Safety Website at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~frf/sea-mehg.html.  For information about the safety of locally caught fish and shellfish, visit the EPA's Fish Advisory Website or contact your local Health Department.

We recommend you follow these guidelines for use of the following substances:

Caffeine:  When used in small amounts, caffeine intake during pregnancy is considered safe.  Limit intake to the equivalent of two (2) caffeinated beverages per day.

Artificial Sweeteners:  The FDA has assured the public that the safety of aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal) is clear-cut, saying that aspartame is one of the most thoroughly tested and studied food additives of all time.  The FDA and the joint FAO/SHO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN and the World Health Organization) Expert Committee on food additives have deemed sucralose (Splenda) safe for everyone to consume, including pregnant women.  However, some still question whether these sweeteners are safe to use during pregnancy.  Therefore, especially if you have concerns, we recommend limiting intake of these sweeteners.  Patients with PKU should not use aspartame at all during pregnancy.  There are many questions about the safe use of saccharine (Sweet 'n Low) during pregnancy.  Therefore, we recommend against the use of saccarine during pregnancy.

Salt:  Do not add salt to your food (get rid of the salt shaker!) and limit or omit high-sodium foods such as chips, salted nuts, pretzels, soy sauce, bouillon and canned soups, bacon or ham and othe rprocessed meats.  Many canned and processed foods contain a lot of sodium.  Check nutrician labels and limit your sodium intake to 2 grams per day.