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If you’re planning to get pregnant, are pregnant right now, or are breastfeeding your infant, it’s important for both you and your baby that you consume adequate levels of Omega-3 EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid), in particular DHA. You need to get enough Omega-3s to supply these essential nutrients to your developing child, support your own physical and mental health, and help prevent early labor. Your child needs to get enough Omega-3 EPA/DHA to help ensure the healthy development of vital organs, including the brain and eyes, and to support overall well-being. Indeed, research indicates that Omega-3 EPA and DHA play an essential role before, during, and after pregnancy for both mother and child.
Before PregnancyBefore pregnancy, it’s important to eat foods rich in Omega-3 EPA and DHA for your own general well-being and to protect yourself from the many diseases that may be associated with an Omega-3 deficiency. You’ll also want to make sure you have adequate stores of these essential nutrients so that you’ll have enough to share once you get pregnant.
During PregnancyDuring pregnancy, you’ll be supplying your growing or newborn child with the DHA needed for optimal development and healthy infancy. It’s well established that DHA is critical to the development of many vital structures, such as the nervous system — which includes the brain, spinal cord, and network of nerves — and the eyes, particularly the retina.
After PregnancyAfter pregnancy, it’s still important that you continue to get adequate levels of Omega-3 EPA and DHA to replenish your stores of these two essential fats. Research suggests that new mothers’ blood levels of Omega-3 EPA/DHA sink continuously after childbirth. In fact, it can take several months for your Omega-3 EPA and DHA levels to return to normal. Since you’ll be the sole source of DHA for your baby, if you choose to breastfeed, it’s a good idea to you seek advice from your physician as to a recommended daily intake. The Institute of Medicine dietary guidelines suggest an adequate intake of 650 mg of EPA and DHA for adults with a minimum DHA intake during pregnancy and breastfeeding of at least 300 mg.
Benefits for the ChildDHA is essential to the development of the brain and eyes. Because the formation of these organs is complete by the age of three or four, it’s critical that your growing child get plenty of DHA during fetal development and throughout the early years of life.
Virtually from the point of conception, the fetus needs DHA for the brain to develop normally. The last trimester is of particular importance, as the brain of a fetus can triple in size given sufficient DHA to support this growth. The newborn baby must also continue to get enough DHA from breast milk or formula immediately after birth.
Research indicates that DHA may play many roles in supporting the health of a developing child, including helping:
- Develop a fully functional nervous system, including a healthy brain
- Develop healthy eyes and visual acuity
- Prevent allergic reactions in at-risk infants
- Increase birth size and weight
- Reduce the risk of cerebral palsy
- Increase IQ and ability to solve problems
- Support visual acuity
- Promote good coordination and motor skills
- Contribute to good behavior
If you plan on breastfeeding your newborn infant, make sure you consume enough DHA to provide sufficient amounts to your child. Otherwise, choose a baby formula containing Omega-3, especially DHA, on the advice of your physician or nutritionist.
Benefits for the Mother
Cleary, Omega-3 EPA/DHA is critical for fetal and infant development. However, moms benefit from these essential nutrients too!
Research indicates that consuming foods rich in Omega-3s may help:
- Increase gestation length
- Reduce the risk of gestational diabetes
- Reduce the risk of preeclampsia (a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy)
- Reduce the risk of post-partum depression
- Provide the mother with enough EPA and DHA to meet her infant’s needs through breastfeeding
- Ensure adequate levels of EPA and DHA to support another healthy pregnancy
MEG-3® as a Rich Dietary Source of Omega-3 EPA and DHA for Mother and ChildAvailable as a dietary supplement, and as a healthy food ingredient, MEG-3® can provide both mother and child with Omega-3 EPA/DHA that conform to worldwide quality and purity standards. Along with a well-balanced diet, supplements or foods that contain MEG-3® ensure that you and your family are getting adequate amounts of these two essential nutrients.
References:
1. Gallagher S. “Omega-3 oils and pregnancy.” Midwifery today with International Midwife 69 (Spring 2004): 26-31.
2. Innis S. “Polyunsaturated fatty acids in human milk: an essential role in infant development.” Protecting Infants Through Human Milk. Kluwer Academic/Plenium Publishing, 2004.
3. Forsyth JS. “Long chain fatty acids, DHA and human brain.” Indian Journal of Pediatrics 72 (2005): 239-42.
4. Hornstra G. “Essential fatty acids in mothers and their neonates.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 71, no., 5 (May 2000 Suppl.): 1262S-9S.
5. Krabbendam L, Bakkerb E, Hornstrac G, van Osa J. Relationship between DHA status at birth and child problem behaviour at 7 years of age. Prosta, Leuko Essen Fatty Acids,2007;76(1):29-34.
6. Innis. Dietary (n-3) fatty acids and brain development. The Journal of Nutrition. 2007; 137: 855–859.
7. Lauritzen, et al. The essentiality of long chain n-3 fatty acids in relation to development and function of the brain and retina. Progress in Lipid Research. 2001; 40:1±94.
8. Singh. Essential fatty acids, DHA and the human brain. Indian Journal of Pediatrics. 2005; 72(3):239-42.
9. Jensen, et al. Effects of n 3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2006; 83:1452S–7S.
10. Lauritzen, et al. 2004; maternal fish oil supplementation in lactation: effect on visual acuity and n-3 fatty acid content of infant erythrocytes. Lipids. 244; 39(3):195-206.
11. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO), 2005.
12. Rocquelin, et al. Human milk fatty acids and growth of infants in Brazzaville (The Congo) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). Public Health Nutrition. 2003; 6(3):241-8.
13. Petridou, et al. Diet during pregnancy and the risk of cerebral palsy. British Journal of Nutrition. 1998; 79:407-412.
14. Denburg, et al. Fish oil supplementation in pregnancy modifies neonatal progenitors at birth in infants at risk of atopy. Pediatric Research. 2005; 57(2):276-81.
15. Helland, et al. Maternal supplementation with very-long-chain n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation augments child-ren’s IQ at 4 years of age. Pediatrics. 2003 Jan;111(1):e39-44.
16. Hibbeln, et al. Maternal seafood consumption in pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes in childhood (ALSPAC study): an observational cohort study. The Lancet. 2007; 369:578-85.
17. Olsen, et al. Randomised clinical trials of fish oil supplementation in high risk pregnancies. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2000; 107:382-395.
18. Olsen, et al. Randomised controlled trial of effect of fish oil supplementation on pregnancy duration. The Lancet. 1992; 339:1003-1007.
19. Thomas, et al. Nutrient intake of women with and without gestational diabetes with a specific focus on fatty acids. Elsevier: Nutrition. 2006; 22:230-236.
20. Jensen, et al. Effects of n 3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2006; 83:1452S–7S.
21. Williams, et al. Omega-3 fatty acids in maternal erythrocytes and risk of preeclampsia. 1995; 6(3):232-7.
22. Kendall-Tackett. A new paradigm for depression in new mothers: the central role of inflammation and how breastfeeding and anti-inflammatory treatments protect maternal mental health. International Breastfeeding Journal. 2007; 2(6):1-14.
23. Genuis, et al. Time for an oil check: the role of essential omega-3 fatty acids in maternal and pediatric health. Journal of Perinatology. 2006; 26(6):359-65.
24. Hibbeln, et al. Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association; San Francisco. 2003.
25. Klinkhardt. Further evidence of the health value of fish. EUROFISH Magazine. 2006; 6. (FAO SEAFOODplus Conference,Tromso, Norway, 2006).
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What Is Omega-3
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Health Benefits Overview
More than 8,000 studies published over the past 35 years have consistently shown that Omega-3 EPA (Eicosapentaenoic Acid) and DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid), are important to your health throughout every stage of your life. Omega-3 EPA and DHA have complementary roles in human health: DHA plays a structural role as a component of cell membranes, while EPA ...
Omega-3 Overview
Omega-3 fatty acids are a group of polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish and certain plants that provide important health benefits. In fact, Omega-3 fatty acids are just as important to your health as vitamins, playing a crucial role in cardiovascular health and brain function, as well as normal growth and development. For infants, seniors, and ...
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