Mercury is a metal though it also can be included in daily food. If you come in contact with high levels of mercury during pregnancy, if you eat food that includes high levels of mercury, it can cause real problems for you and your baby.
Mercury can damage many parts of your body, including your lungs, kidneys and nervous system (that includes the brain, spinal cord and nerves). It also can cause hearing and vision problems. How serious the damage is depends on how much mercury you’re exposed to. Babies exposed to mercury in the womb can have brain damage and hearing and vision problems.