The Importance Of DHA During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

Pregnancy and Breastfeeding women who took fish oil supplement had bigger & healthy babies

Scientific research is constantly expanding our knowledge of nutritional needs in pregnancy. Among the most recent developments in this field, is the importance of omega-3 fatty acids in both the development of a healthy baby and in the health of the mother.

Green World Deep Sea Fish Oil (Omega-3)

PREGNANT women taking DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid in fish oil, give birth to babies that score slightly better on several health measurements than those born to women who don’t take the supplement, a study has found.

DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, is a nutrient that promotes brain development (SN Online: 1/13/2009). Susan Carlson of the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City and her colleagues randomly assigned 350 women to take daily capsules of either a placebo or DHA starting midway through pregnancy. Babies born to the women who took DHA were slightly longer and heavier than the other babies and were less apt to spend time in the intensive care unit.

Overall rates of preterm birth, defined as birth before the 37th week of gestation, didn’t differ substantially between the groups. But among preterm babies, those in the DHA group spent an average of nine days in the hospital compared with 41 days for those in the placebo group. While only one of 154 babies in the DHA group was born very early — before 34 weeks’ gestation — seven of 147 babies to non-DHA mothers were born that early, Carlson and colleagues report in the April American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Pregnant and lactating women should consume approximately 200 mg of DHA daily, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. DHA is widely accepted as supporting cardiovascular health. Adequate DHA
intake may also contribute to optimal pregnancy outcomes for both
mother and baby, so many health professionals recommend increasing DHA
consumption during pregnancy and lactation.

Current Recommendations
While there is no recommended daily allowance for DHA, the Dietary Reference Intakes provide an Adequate Intake level for total omega-3 fatty acids for healthy adults. Pregnant and lactating females should consume two 3 oz servings of fatty fish per week for adequate DHA intake. This recommended intake provides at least 500 mg of omega-3 fatty acids per day. Green World Deep Sea Fish Oil contain; deep sea fish oil extract, EPA: 180mg/softgel, DHA; 120mg/softgel .Good for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding mothers