Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential fatty acids -- your body needs them to function at its best, but it can't make them by itself. That means you've got to get the omega-3 fatty acids you need from your diet. Like many parts of a healthy diet, your omega-3 eating strategy may need to be refined when you're pregnant.
Restrictions
Pregnant women should aim to get at least 650 mg per day of omega-3 fatty acids, according to researchers led by James A. Greenberg, a professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, who studied the relationship between omega-3 fatty acids and pregnancy in an article published in "Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology" in 2008. It may be hard for pregnant women to get enough omega-3s through diet because seafood -- one of the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids -- is usually limited to just two servings per week, or the equivalent of 100 to 250 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, during pregnancy.
Sources
Seafood is the best dietary source of omega-3 fatty acids, and fatty fish like mackerel, albacore tuna, salmon, lake trout, herring and sardines are some of the richest sources of dietary omega-3s, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you eat fish, plan to eat two servings per week. Plant and nut oils, including flaxseed oil, walnut oil, canola oil and pumpkin seed oil, are also good sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Many pregnant women need to add fish oil supplements to their diet during pregnancy to get the recommended omega-3 intake, note the researchers in the "Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology" study, but you should always check with your doctor before adding any supplement to your diet during pregnancy.
Development Role
Omega-3 fatty acids play several roles in fetal development. Omega-3 fatty acids are involved in brain development, and babies whose mothers don't consume sufficient omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy may be at increased risk for vision and nervous system problems, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Considerations
Women who get adequate intake of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy may benefit themselves as well as their babies. Women who consumed omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy were less likely to deal with prenatal depression than pregnant women who didn't include any omega-3 fatty acid sources in their diet, reported J Golding and colleagues, from the Centre for Child and Adolescent Health at Department of Community Based Medicine at University of Bristol in 2009 in the journal "Epidemiology."
Warning
Pregnant women are encouraged to limit their intake of sport-caught fish to 6 oz. per week because of potential contaminants, and avoid fish known to have high levels of mercury including mackerel, shark, swordfish and tilefish, since contaminated fish has the potential to cause fetal development problems, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. If you have a bleeding disorder or experience spotting during pregnancy, talk to your health care provider -- omega-3 fatty acids may increase bleeding risk.
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