Fish during pregnancy do good to kids

Children of mothers who eat more fish and other seafood while pregnant are smarter and have better developmental skills than kids of women who ate less or none. The study, sure to be controversial, sought to assess whether it is wise for pregnant women to limit their seafood intake to avoid mercury, a toxin that can harm the nervous system of developing fetuses. According to researchers from the National Institutes of Health, USA, seafood is a key source of omega-3 fatty acids, important for fetal brain development. The researchers said limiting pregnant women's weekly intake to 12 ounces (340 grams) of fish and seafood did not protect their children from developmental problems. Women who avoid seafood may actually be harming their babies by depriving them of essential nutrients needed for the developing fetal brain. The study looked at the children of more than 8,000 British women to determine how kids fared if their mothers ate more than 12 ounces - about two average meals. It was found that these children, compared to those whose mothers ate lesser amounts, were more advanced in developmental tests measuring fine motor, communication and social skills as toddlers, behaved better at age 7, and earned higher verbal IQ scores at age 8. The differences were striking when looking at kids whose mothers ate no seafood. They were 48 percent more likely to have a relatively low verbal IQ score at age 8 compared to children whose mothers ate the higher amount of seafood. According to the Environmental Working Group, USA, the study highlighted the need for governments to take actions to keep pollutants out of seafood, like cracking down on coal-burning power plants. The study reinforces the importance of keeping our seafood supply clean, making sure it's not overly contaminated with mercury and other chemicals that could actually harm brain development. Mercury can build up in fish living in waters contaminated with it due to industrial pollution. Mercury can be particularly bad for fetuses and children because it can cause neurological and developmental problems. The above results highlight the importance of including fish in the maternal diet during pregnancy and lend support to the popular opinion that fish is brain food.