Omega 3 in Pregnancy

A woman’s diet during pregnancy

The importance of a high-quality diet during pregnancy can impact significantly on the health of mother and baby. Did you know that evidence shows us better maternal diet quality during pregnancy has a positive association with child neurodevelopment, particularly around cognitive development.

The majority of pregnant women in Australia perceive their diets to be healthy yet they do not consume the recommended daily servings from the Five Food Groups. A healthy and good quality diet during pregnancy is made up of a variety of nutrient rich foods.

So what does a “healthy, good quality diet” mean?

• Rich in fresh fruits and vegetables
• High fibre cereals, nuts, seeds and wholegrains
• 2-3 servings of fish which includes oily fish per week
• High quality vegetable oils such as extra virgin olive oil
• A high-quality nutritional supplement that contains Iodine, Iron, Vitamin D and Folic Acid
• Less processed foods, sugary snacks, highly processed cereals and processed meats

Evidence has shown that poor quality diets can negatively impact on children’s behaviours such as aggression, hyperactivity or conduct problems which can ultimately impact on long term learning capacity.^1-5

Omega 3 in pregnancy

Only 20% of the population meets the recommended Omega 3 fatty acid intake and only 10% of women of childbearing age meet the recommended docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake. Fish and seafood are by far the richest sources of omega 3 including DHA.^6-7

What are the benefits of Omega 3 DHA in pregnancy?

Increasing omega-3 (DHA) intake during pregnancy, either through supplementation or in foods, may reduce the incidence of preterm birth (before 37 weeks) and there may be less chance of having a baby with a low birthweight. Longer pregnancy/longer gestational period has been associated with a reduction in neurodevelopmental delay in offspring in addition to a reduced risk of developing cardiometabolic conditions later in life.^6-7

Furthermore, it has been found that maternal DHA status in pregnancy was found to be positively associated with infants’ problem-solving skills at 12 months.⁸

Further studies have also shown the benefits of consuming Omega 3 fatty acids during pregnancy as a mean to help lower the onset of perinatal depression (PND) which is experienced by between 6.5-12.9% of women at different trimesters of pregnancy. The consequences of PND include difficulty to perform usual activities, failure to seek perinatal care, inadequate diet, the abuse of tobacco, alcohol, and other harmful substances, the risk of self-harm or suicide, and adverse effects on foetal growth, infant temperament, and later behaviours in childhood.⁹

Summary

• During pregnancy, a pregnancy supplement is recommended to provide necessary nutrients to support a healthy pregnancy
• We recommend a balanced diet which encourages healthy food choices during pregnancy
• There have been a number of health benefits result from the inclusion of Omega 3 DHA supplementation during pregnancy and may be considered

All advice is general in nature. Please consult a healthcare professional to see if this advice is right for you.z

1. The Food and Mood Centre, Deakin University, Australia https://foodandmoodcentre.com.au/diet-in-pregnancy/
2. Malek L et al. Adherence to the Australian dietary guidelines during pregnancy: evidence from a national study, Public Health Nutr. 2016 May;19(7):1155-63. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26228526
3. Tiril Cecilie Borge, TC et al. The importance of maternal diet quality during pregnancy on cognitive and behavioural outcomes in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis, BMJ 2017 Vol. 7, Issue 9. https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/9/e016777
4. Jacka FN et al. Maternal and early postnatal nutrition and mental health of offspring by age 5 years: a prospective cohort study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2013 Oct;52(10):1038-47. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24074470
5. Pina-Camacho L et al. Maternal depression symptoms, unhealthy diet and child emotional-behavioural dysregulation. Psychol Med. 2015 Jul;45(9):1851-60. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25524365
6. Middleton P et al. Omega 3 Fatty Acid addition during pregnancy, Cochrane Review, Nov. 2018 https://www.cochrane.org/CD003402/PREG_omega-3-fatty-acid-addition-during-pregnancy
7. BJ, Australians are not meeting the recommended intakes for Omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids: results of an analysis from the 2011-2012 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey, Nutrients, 2016, 8(3): 111
8. Braarud HC. Maternal DHA Status during Pregnancy Has a Positive Impact on Infant Problem Solving: A Norwegian Prospective Observation Study, 2018 May; 10(5): 529.
9. Lin, PY et al. Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Perinatal Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Biological psychiatry Oct 2017; 82:560–569

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