Omega-3 Fatty Acids – DHA+EPA Support both Mom and Baby
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty layers of cold-water fish and shellfish, plant and nut oils, English walnuts, flaxseed,
Omega-3 Fatty Acids – DHA+EPA Support both Mom and Baby
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fatty layers of cold-water fish and shellfish, plant and nut oils, English walnuts, flaxseed, algae oils, and fortified foods. You can also get omega-3s as supplements. Food and supplement sources of these fatty acids differ in the forms and amounts they contain.
There are the two main types of omega-3 fatty acids:
- Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids are EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). These are plentiful in fish and shellfish. Algae often provides only DHA.1
- Short-chain omega-3 fatty acids are ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). These are found in plants, such as flaxseed. Though beneficial, ALA omega-3 fatty acids have less potent health benefits than EPA and DHA. You’d have to eat a lot to gain the same benefits as you do from fish.1
Maternal nutrition guidelines have always stressed a diet including sufficient caloric and protein requirements, but recently fatty acids have also been deemed important.2 Fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA supplementation during pregnancy has been associated with multiple benefits for the infant. Studies have shown that EPA and DHA are important for proper fetal development, including cognitive (brain), retinal (eye), and immune function. During pregnancy, the placenta transfers nutrients, including DHA, from the mother to the fetus.
In addition, EPA and DHA supplementation during pregnancy has been associated with longer gestation and lower incidence of low birth weight. In 2005, preterm births accounted for 12.7% of all births in the United States, increasing the likelihood of health complications.3 Carrying a baby to term is very important because prematurity is the cause of various infant diseases and can lead to death; preterm delivery is an underlying factor for 85% of the deaths of normally formed infants.20
Plus EPA is also a natural stool softener; this is such a positive thing for pregnant patients, because pregnancy can cause bad constipation for many women.12,21
How Much DHA Do You Need?
The amount of omega-3 fatty acids in the fetus is correlated with the amount ingested by the mother, so it is essential that the mother has adequate nutrition.4 The NIH recommends at least 300 mg of DHA daily for pregnant and lactati