Sushi when pregnant: which to avoid, which to choose
The short answer
No, sushi with raw fish is not advised during pregnancy; sushi and maki rolls without raw fish remain possible. Manger Bouger names « raw fish (sushi, sashimi, taramasalata) » among the foods to avoid, along with smoked or marinated fish. Raw fish can transmit listeriosis and parasites, and no cold preparation guarantees their destruction during pregnancy. You can, however, choose maki rolls with vegetables, avocado, well-cooked omelette or cooked chicken, or sushi with cooked fish served straight away.
These guidelines follow the official French recommendations. If in doubt, your midwife or doctor can advise you.
The risks of raw fish
- Listeriosis: Listeria monocytogenes can contaminate raw seafood and multiplies in the fridge. The infection is rare, fewer than fifty cases a year in pregnant women in France according to Santé publique France, but serious for the foetus. Only cooking destroys it.
- Parasites, such as anisakis: they are found in some sea fish. For raw fish prepared at home, Anses advises freezing it for 7 days in a domestic freezer to destroy them; this precaution does not deal with the risk of listeriosis.
Hence the precautionary recommendation: no raw, smoked or marinated fish for the full nine months. Sushi is not dangerous in itself, it is the raw fish that is.
« Sashimi grade » does not mean risk-free
Some fish are sold with the label « sashimi grade » or « sushi grade ». It indicates a fresh product intended to be eaten raw, but not a product free from Listeria. In the public RappelConso database, of the 6 recalls for Listeria involving sushi or sushi fish between 2021 and September 2026, 5 concerned fish sold as « sashimi grade »: tuna steaks, salmon cubes and salmon centre cuts, salmon sashimi. The sixth concerned a tray of salmon California rolls.
This finding matches the authorities’ reasoning: for fish eaten raw, no grade, no freshness and no freezing guarantees the absence of Listeria. Only cooking does. The freezing advised by Anses for homemade raw fish, 7 days in a domestic freezer, targets parasites such as anisakis, not this bacterium.
The Japanese restaurant traffic light
| Dish | Pregnant | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sushi, sashimi, chirashi with raw salmon, tuna, sea bream | 🔴 avoid | raw fish |
| Maki or California roll with raw salmon or tuna | 🔴 avoid | raw fish |
| California roll with surimi | 🔴 avoid | cold surimi, advised against by Ameli |
| Sushi or maki with smoked salmon | 🔴 avoid | smoked fish |
| Salmon roe, tobiko, taramasalata | 🔴 avoid | raw fish eggs |
| Cucumber, avocado or vegetable maki, pickled radish | 🟢 allowed | no raw fish; vegetables washed in the kitchen |
| Maki or sushi with well-cooked Japanese omelette (tamago) | 🟢 allowed | cooked egg |
| Yakitori skewers, chicken teriyaki, hot grilled fish | 🟢 allowed | cooked through, served hot |
| Prawn or vegetable tempura, served hot | 🟢 allowed | fried, served hot |
| Plain rice | 🟢 allowed | cooked |
| Miso soup, edamame, tofu | 🟠 with conditions | soya-based products, which Manger Bouger advises against during pregnancy; keep them occasional |
| Cabbage salad, seaweed | 🟠 with conditions | raw vegetables eaten out are advised against by Ameli because of toxoplasmosis |
Two practical notes. Manger Bouger advises against soya-based foods and drinks during pregnancy, because of their phytoestrogens, but tolerates soy sauce in small amounts: miso soup, edamame and tofu should therefore be kept occasional. Wasabi and pickled ginger are not a problem.
What about homemade sushi?
Making your own sushi at home does not make raw fish any safer during pregnancy: freezing eliminates parasites, not Listeria. At home, the right solution is to fill the maki with cooked foods: salmon baked in the oven then cooled and eaten straight away, raw prawns cooked in a frying pan, omelette, chicken, grilled vegetables, avocado, well-washed cucumber. Vinegared rice, prepared and eaten the same day, is not a problem.
Beyond sushi: the rest of the menu
At a Japanese restaurant, many other dishes are no problem at all. Here is the menu put under the microscope:
| Dish | Pregnant | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Yakitori, well-cooked skewers | 🟢 allowed | meat cooked through |
| Vegetable or prawn tempura | 🟢 allowed | fried, served hot |
| Steamed or grilled gyoza | 🟢 allowed | cooked filling, served hot |
| Ramen, udon, fried rice | 🟢 allowed | hot dishes; watch out for the soft-boiled egg sometimes added |
| Grilled or teriyaki fish | 🟢 allowed | cooked fish |
| Miso soup | 🟠 in moderation | soya: Manger Bouger advises limiting it; salty |
| Edamame | 🟠 in moderation | soya |
| Seaweed salad, wakame | 🟠 small amount | seaweed very high in iodine |
| Fish eggs, tobiko, ikura | 🔴 avoid | raw fish eggs |
| Poke bowl with raw fish | 🔴 avoid | raw fish; a version with chicken or cooked tofu is possible |
Seaweed and iodine: a concern specific to pregnancy
Iodine is essential during pregnancy: it plays a key role in the development of the foetus’s brain, and the recommended intake rises from 150 to 200 µg a day. But too much is also to be avoided. The European Food Safety Authority sets an upper limit of 600 µg a day for adults, and Anses reports that very high intakes, of 1,000 to 1,500 µg a day, linked to heavy seaweed consumption in pregnant Japanese women, have been associated with cases of congenital hypothyroidism in their babies.
Seaweeds contain very variable amounts of iodine, sometimes considerable:
| Per 1 g of dried seaweed | Iodine | Share of the 600 µg limit |
|---|---|---|
| Nori, the kind used in maki | 56 µg | 9% |
| Atlantic wakame | 362 µg | 60% |
| Japanese kombu | 2,330 µg | nearly 4 times the limit |
| Breton kombu | 4,590 µg | more than 7 times the limit |
The nori sheet in a maki is not a problem. However, brown seaweeds such as kombu, used for stocks, or seaweed-based supplements can take you well over the limit. During pregnancy, keep seaweed to small amounts and avoid seaweed supplements without medical advice. For good sources of iodine, see our guide to foods high in iodine.
And soy sauce? It is not covered by the soya restriction, but it is very salty: 13.1 g of salt per 100 g according to Ciqual, or about 2.1 g in a 16 g tablespoon, nearly half of the 5 g a day recommended by the WHO.
Tuna, eel, mackerel: Japanese restaurant fish and mercury
Raw fish is not the only issue at a Japanese restaurant. Some fish, even cooked, accumulate methylmercury, which is toxic to the foetus’s nervous system. Anses advises pregnant and breastfeeding women to limit wild predatory fish to 150 g a week, such as tuna, eel, sea bass, sea bream, monkfish or skate, and to avoid swordfish, marlin, siki shark, shark and lamprey.
| Fish on the menu | Common Japanese name | Pregnant | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked, grilled or teriyaki salmon | sake | 🟢 allowed | recommended oily fish, little affected by mercury |
| Grilled mackerel | saba | 🟢 allowed | oily fish, to be eaten well cooked |
| Mackerel marinated in vinegar | shime saba | 🔴 avoid | marinated fish, not cooked |
| Cooked tuna, seared as tataki or tinned | maguro | 🟠 limited | predatory fish: 150 g a week at most; tataki stays raw in the middle |
| Grilled, glazed eel | unagi | 🟠 limited | served hot and cooked, but a predatory fish |
| Sea bass, sea bream | suzuki, tai | 🟠 limited, cooked | predatory fish, always cooked |
| Swordfish | mekajiki | 🔴 avoid | heavily contaminated with mercury |
In practice, a cooked tuna maki from time to time is not a problem; it is the build-up over the week that counts. Tataki, a tuna or beef simply seared on the surface, stays raw in the centre: it follows the raw fish rule. Cooked salmon and mackerel are the best choices, as they are oily fish rich in omega-3, which Manger Bouger advises eating once a week during pregnancy.
Packaged sushi is no safer
You might think supermarket sushi, prepared in a workshop and kept chilled, carries less risk. It does not: the fish is just as raw, and the cold does not stop Listeria, which keeps multiplying in the fridge. Of the 6 recalls for Listeria linked to sushi recorded on RappelConso since 2021, one concerned a tray of salmon California rolls sold in a supermarket.
Trays described as « no raw fish » also need a careful eye. Maki with cooked prawns served cold follow the same logic as ready-to-eat cooked prawns, which are among the seafood products most often recalled for Listeria: our guide on prawns when pregnant details these figures. Surimi maki are advised against by Ameli, as explained in our guide on surimi when pregnant. That leaves maki with vegetables, avocado or omelette, to be eaten well before their use-by date and without a break in the cold chain.
Ordering without stress at the restaurant
The menu at a Japanese restaurant offers plenty to eat during pregnancy. A few simple habits:
- Ask what is raw: some dishes mix cooked and raw fish, such as « maki mix » or sharing boats.
- Favour hot dishes: yakitori, gyoza, tempura, ramen, grilled or teriyaki fish, fried rice.
- Be wary of sauces made with raw egg, such as some homemade mayonnaises served with spicy maki.
- Go easy on the salt: soy sauce provides about 2.1 g of salt per tablespoon.
- For a poke bowl, ask for a version with chicken, cooked tofu or cooked salmon.
What you are not missing out on
Fish is still recommended during pregnancy: Manger Bouger advises eating it twice a week, including one oily fish, well cooked. Salmon baked in the oven provides 2.15 g of EPA and DHA per 100 g according to Ciqual, omega-3s that are useful for your baby’s brain development. You do, however, need to limit tuna, including tinned, and avoid swordfish, marlin, shark and lamprey, because of mercury. See our guides on smoked salmon when pregnant, how much fish a week and foods high in omega-3.
Safe recipe ideas
- Baked salmon fillet, to flake into a bowl of rice with avocado and cucumber: a cooked « poke bowl ».
- Sautéed prawns, to fill homemade maki.
- A thin, well-cooked omelette, rolled as tamago.
For all the rules, see our guide to eating during pregnancy, and our guides on surimi when pregnant and taramasalata when pregnant.
And while breastfeeding?
While breastfeeding, the precautions against listeriosis specific to pregnancy no longer apply: sushi with raw fish becomes possible again, choosing reputable establishments. See our guide on eating while breastfeeding.
Frequently asked questions
Can you eat sushi when pregnant?
Not with raw fish: Manger Bouger advises against it. Maki with vegetables, avocado, omelette or cooked fish remain possible.
Is the salmon in sushi frozen, and so risk-free?
Freezing destroys parasites, but not Listeria. Raw fish remains advised against during pregnancy.
Are California rolls allowed when pregnant?
Only without raw fish or surimi: with cucumber, avocado, chicken or cooked prawns served straight away.
Can you eat miso soup when pregnant?
Occasionally: miso is soya-based, and Manger Bouger advises against soya-based foods during pregnancy, while tolerating soy sauce in small amounts.
I ate sushi while pregnant, what should I do?
The risk from a one-off occasion is low. If you get a fever in the following weeks, even a mild one, tell your doctor or midwife.
Is « sashimi grade » fish allowed when pregnant?
No: this label does not guarantee the absence of Listeria. Of 6 recalls for Listeria linked to sushi since 2021, 5 concerned fish sold as « sashimi grade ».
Can you eat seaweed salad when pregnant?
In small amounts, yes. Seaweed is very high in iodine, and too much should be avoided during pregnancy: kombu, in particular, can exceed the safety limit with a single gram.
Is miso soup allowed when pregnant?
In moderation: Manger Bouger advises limiting soya during pregnancy, and miso soup is salty. A bowl from time to time remains possible.
Which dishes should you choose at a Japanese restaurant when pregnant?
Cooked, hot dishes: yakitori, tempura, gyoza, ramen, grilled fish, and maki with vegetables or well-cooked omelette.
Can you eat grilled eel (unagi) when pregnant?
Yes, it is cooked and served hot. But eel is one of the predatory fish that Anses advises limiting to 150 g a week during pregnancy.
Is the cooked tuna in maki allowed when pregnant?
Yes, if it is truly cooked, in limited amounts: Anses advises pregnant women not to exceed 150 g a week of predatory fish such as tuna. Tataki, seared on the surface, stays raw in the middle.
Is supermarket sushi safer?
No: the fish is just as raw, and Listeria multiplies in the cold. A recall for Listeria has already targeted California rolls in a tray.
Can you eat it when pregnant? The series
Food by food, what is allowed, allowed with conditions or to be avoided during pregnancy: cheesecake when pregnant, foie gras when pregnant, feta when pregnant, mozzarella when pregnant, raclette when pregnant, surimi when pregnant, cured meats when pregnant, smoked salmon when pregnant, tiramisu when pregnant, chorizo when pregnant, taramasalata when pregnant, honey when pregnant, camembert and brie when pregnant, prawns when pregnant, soft-boiled egg when pregnant, cured ham when pregnant, hummus when pregnant, tinned tuna when pregnant.
Our sources
- Manger Bouger (Santé publique France), « Quels aliments éviter et quelles précautions prendre quand on est enceinte ? », updated 2026.
- Ameli, « Les aliments à éviter et les précautions d’hygiène pendant la grossesse ».
- Anses, poissons et produits de la pêche, conseils de consommation, 2016: freezing of raw fish.
- Santé publique France, listeriosis surveillance data.
- Ciqual 2025 table (Anses): baked salmon.
- Anses, avis relatif au risque d’excès d’apport en iode lié à la consommation d’algues dans les denrées alimentaires (saisine 2017-SA-0086), 2018.
- RappelConso, public product recall dataset (data.economie.gouv.fr), sushi and « sashimi grade » fish, 2021 to September 2026.
- Ciqual 2025 table (Anses): dried seaweed, soy sauce; USDA, SR Legacy: weight of a spoonful of soy sauce.
- Anses, « Poissons et produits de la pêche, conseils de consommation », recommendations for pregnant and breastfeeding women (wild predatory fish and methylmercury).
