Clarity is always welcome - particularly when it comes to health advice from the experts.

But, the latest recommendation by the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies coalition appears to fall short. The coalition, which includes the American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institute on Child and Human Development, and the CDC, recommends that women who are pregnant eat 12 ounces or more of fatty fish each week.

Fatty fish, such as tuna, mackerel, and salmon, are high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids carry many health benefits, including helping women avoid post-partum depression. They are plus fundamental to the development of healthy brains and motor functions in babies.

So, the recommendation seems to produce perfect sense. But…

It conflicts with earlier advisories by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the EPA against pregnant women consuming fish. The advisories warned of excessive levels of mercury, a toxic substance, and advised that women who were pregnant or breast-feeding eat no more than 12 ounces

What should you do?

Well, first, stay calm. Yes, it’s tempting to simply through one’s hands into the air, abandon all thoughts of eating healthy, and head down to the local burger joint for a double-cheeseburger, onion rings, and chocolate shake, but…

A more fair approach may be to choose those fish high in omega-3s with the lowest probability of mercury contamination. Or, whether you prefer to get your food in a bottle, choose omega-3 supplements that are certified to be free of mercury contamination (and cadmium, lead, PCB’s…).

So, whether you get your fish from the brook or from the bottle, choose and eat wisely. Then, get busy - you have baby names to pick…

To read more about the study, see that from Reuters. To learn more about the coalition, see that from National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies. To find levels of both mercury and omega-3s in your favorite fish, see that from the American Heart Association.