Pregnant Women: Only a Quarter of Them Get Enough Omega-3

Pregnancy: only 1/4 of expectant mothers take enough Omega-3

Although essential for fetal development, only 27% of pregnant women show Omega-3 levels that meet current European Union recommendations, which advise an intake of 200 mg of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) per day.

This was discovered by researchers at the University of Alberta (Canada) and published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.

Omega-3 are essential for fetal health

The intake of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids during pregnancy and breastfeeding is necessary to ensure proper fetal and placental development. In particular, Omega-3s are important for the development of the fetus’s brain and retina.  The American Dietetic Association recommends a daily intake of at least 500 mg of Omega-3 for all healthy adults, including pregnant and breastfeeding women. The European Commission and the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommend that pregnant and breastfeeding women consume at least 200 mg of DHA per day — in addition to the 250 mg of EPA+DHA recommended for the general population. 

These amounts could be reached by consuming 1-2 servings per week of fish rich in omega-3. However, several studies conducted in Canada, Australia, the United States, and Europe have shown that pregnant and breastfeeding women consume amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids far below recommended levels. This is due to low fish consumption, probably also related to concerns about mercury contamination, and limited supplement use.

One quarter of pregnant women get enough DHA thanks to supplements

In the present study, researchers estimated the intake of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), DPA (docosapentaenoic acid), and DHA from dietary sources in a group of 600 women who responded to questionnaires on eating habits and supplement use. The results revealed that about three-quarters of pregnant and postpartum women did not meet the recommended DHA intake. Although, unlike most similar studies, the majority of participants were from a high socioeconomic status and 97% reported taking multivitamin supplements during pregnancy, only 27% demonstrated meeting the recommended doses during the third trimester. 

The vast majority (73% during pregnancy and 75% postpartum) were far from optimal doses. However, participants who took DHA supplements were ten times more likely to meet recommendations during pregnancy and three months after delivery. Data also showed that 44% of women who took supplements during pregnancy stopped taking them after childbirth.

Omega-3: benefits even after childbirth

According to the researchers, these results suggest that most women involved in the study did not meet the European Union recommendations for DHA consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding. This also highlights the need and importance of nutritional counseling on the benefits of Omega-3 supplements even after the child’s birth.

Source: 

Jia X, Pakseresht M, Wattar N, Wildgrube J, Sontag S, Andrews M, Subhan FB, McCargar L, Field CJ; APrON study team.“Women who take n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplements during pregnancy and lactation meet the recommended intake”. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2015 May;40(5):474-81. doi: 10.1139/apnm-2014-0313. Epub 2015 Mar 25.

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