First off, sushi is a type of Japanese dish featuring vinegared rice.
Many types of sushi have sashimi (raw fish) as an ingredient, but not all
sushi does.

My mother-in-law is Japanese, and despite the fact that I love her sashimi
(not even prepared as sushi), I decided to decline while I was pregnant.
The concern with sashimi is that if it has parasites in it, the
medications needed to get rid of the parasites may not be good for the
baby.  Other than that, there is no "contaminant" risk with sashimi other
than that generally associated with fish (usually the mercury thing).
Chosen and prepared properly, there is no more worry about getting
parasites from sashimi than there is getting listeria from cheese made
from pasteurized milk.  I explained this analogy to my MIL, and told her
that in Japan they might recommend pregnant women not eat cheese if there
was a problem with cheese producers in Japan not making the cheese
properly (American sushi makers often use sashimi that she considers
"trash fish" that would never be used in Japan).  While I thoroughly trust
my MIL's sashimi, I didn't want to have to fess up to eating sashimi while
pregnant to a possibly ignorant HCP who might have a need to know.

So any concern about sushi made with sashimi would be confined to that
relating to fish in general, and any risk from medication needed to get
rid of parasites should she eat in a sushi bar or other Japanese eatery
that caters to Westerners rather than sashimi selected and prepared for a
traditional Japanese meal.

Mary Conner

On Sun, 9 Jul 2000, Nikki Baechler wrote:

> I had a pregnant mom ask me today about the safety of eating sushi while
> breastfeeding.  She knows to avoid it during pregnancy but is concerned if
> the possible contaminants will be passed on to her baby through the
> breastmilk.  Has anyone run across this issue?  If so, a source would be
> great!  I have been unable to find anything in my nutrition textbooks.
> Thanks!
>
> Nikki Baechler
> Dietetic Intern, Peoria, IL
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