Researchers told New Scientist magazine the harm is probably caused by high mercury levels in oily fish such as mackerel, salmon and sardines. However, experts warn that it is still important to eat at least two portions of fish a week.

Indeed, studies indicate that eating enough fish can boost the birth weight and brainpower of babies and help prevent premature labour in pregnant women.

Species, such as shark, marlin and swordfish should be avoided though, because they are particularly high in mercury and other pollutants, according to a BBC report. Girls, women who are breastfeeding and those trying for a baby should eat two portions of oily fish per week, and other women, men and boys, can eat up to four portions.

The latest work in New Scientist, also published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, looked at 1,024 pregnant women living in Michigan, the US.

Dr Fei Xue and colleagues measured the amount of mercury these women had in their hair and compared this with the date that the women delivered their babies.

The women who gave birth more than two weeks early were three times as likely to have double the average mercury level in their hair samples.

On the whole, these women also tended to eat more oily fish, and particularly canned fish.

Only 44 of the women gave birth prematurely, however, and the researchers said more work was needed to corroborate their findings.

They also pointed out that the women were asked to recall how much fish they had eaten, which might be inaccurate. It is also possible that the women could have been exposed to mercury from other sources too, they said.

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