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Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Pregnancy

Omega-3 fatty acids, in particular DHA, help a pregnant woman give her developing baby every advantage in life starting in-utero. In general the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish help the cardiovascular system, the brain (including moods), and even the brain and eyes of a developing baby. Yet only about 68% of women know about the benefits of DHA, an essential fatty acid. More than two-thirds of women say their doctor has never told them anything about DHA, and 72% have no idea how to get DHA into their diet.(1)

DHA and Mother's Health

Since the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids help both the circulatory system and brain function in people, it follows that if a pregnant woman consumes fish oil supplements, not only is she helping her developing baby, she is also fortifying her own system. A cross-national study on rates of postpartum depression among twenty-two countries found that the lower the amount of DHA in the mother's blood, the higher chance she'll develop postpartum depression.(11)

The following is a quotation from Dr. S.J. Genuis, Faculty of Medicine-OB/GYN, University of Alberta, Canada, supporting the decision to supplement with fish oil:

"In view of the mounting evidence implicating Omega-3 Fatty Acid deficiency as a determinant of various maternal and pediatric afflictions, physicians should consider recommending purified fish oil supplementation during pregnancy and lactation."(12)

During prenatal development, the fetus takes all available DHA if the mother is deficient. That leaves nothing left over for the mother. Nutritional science studies point to a correlation between low levels of omega-3s and depression in people. A pregnant or lactating woman has higher needs for omega-3 (see chart 1 above), with current recommendations at 300 milligrams per day for intake of DHA. To compare numbers, consider that the average non-pregnant Japanese woman consumes 571 milligrams per day of DHA.(13)

Most fish oil supplements targeted towards cardiovascular health have more EPA than DHA. Since Prenatal Omega-3 is targeted towards the healthy development of the baby's brain, it has twice the DHA as EPA because the brain is composed mostly of DHA.

Be aware that B vitamins also play an extremely important role in preventing depression, so a new mother should continue taking vitamins even after the birth of her baby.