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In a study that seems fishy and more than a little contradictory in it's findings, researchers suggests that prenatal mercury exposure may be associated with a greater risk of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)-related behaviors but that eating fish during pregnancy may be associated with a lower risk of these behaviors.

The benefits and draw backs of eating fish have been contested and reiterated, mainly because of its high levels of mercury contamination. Otherwise, fish i good and good for you, rich in polysaturated fatty acids like Omega 3's which promotes brain and heart health.

What has not been disputed is that mercury in any form is bad for you, and while pregnant women have since been told that they should limit their total fish intake to no more than two, six-ounce servings per week.

However Researchers are now suggesting that despite these effects, Omega 3 consumption can cancel out these the risks of mercury.

"In this population-based prospective cohort study, hair mercury levels were consistently associated with ADHD-related behaviors, including inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. We also found that higher prenatal fish consumption was protective for these behaviors," the authors comment.

Sharon K. Sagiv, Ph.D., M.P.H., of the Boston University School of Public Health, and colleagues analyzed data from the New Bedford birth cohort, a group of infants born between 1993 and 1998 with ADHD, to investigate the association of peripartum maternal hair mercury levels and prenatal fish intake with ADHD-related behaviors at age 8 years.

Results showed that "prenatal mercury exposure is associated with a higher risk of ADHD-related behaviors, and fish consumption during pregnancy is associated with a lower risk of these behaviors," the authors conclude.

"Although a single estimate combining these beneficial vs. detrimental effects vis-à-vis fish intake is not possible with these data, these findings are consistent with a growing literature showing risk of mercury exposure and benefits of maternal consumption of fish on fetal brain development and are important for informing dietary recommendations for pregnant women."