Eating Oysters During Pregnancy: Safety & Risks

Question
I have just heard rumors that it is not good to eat raw oysters while you are in your first trimester.  Is this true?  Thank you for your time.

Answer
Oysters, if fresh and not contaminated by bacteria, will not cause any harm to the fetus or to the pregnancy. However, there is no way of knowing if the oysters are infected with a bacteria (vibrio, etc) which can cause food poisoning. If possible, I would avoid oysters during pregnancy. It does not matter if you are in the first trimester or any other trimester. Oysters do not cause congenital defects and should not cause any harm to the fetus.