Can I eat…? Specific foods
Can I Eat Shrimp When Pregnant?
Yes — shrimp is safe to eat during pregnancy as long as it's fully cooked. It's one of the better seafood choices: low in mercury and high in protein.
Shrimp gets caught in the general "be careful with seafood" warning, but that advice is really about high-mercury fish and raw seafood. Shrimp is naturally low in mercury, so the only real rule is to cook it properly.
Cooked shrimp (pink, opaque, firm) — safe and nutritious.
Raw shrimp (sashimi, ceviche, raw in sushi) — avoid.
Cooked shrimp in a hot dish or a California roll — fine.
Shrimp gives you protein, iodine, and B12 — all useful in pregnancy — without the mercury worry of tuna or swordfish.
Common follow-ups
First trimester?Yes — cooked shrimp is fine in every trimester.
Pre-cooked cold shrimp?Safe if cooked and properly chilled; when unsure, heat until steaming.
You learned the rule for shrimp — now skip the guesswork for every other food.Avo lets you scan any food or menu item for an instant safe/caution/avoid verdict for your trimester, builds your personal safe-list, and tracks your nutrition automatically.