When you are pregnant, the food you eat affects both you and your baby. Western diets are typically high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which humans need to consume in order to maintain good health. Omega-3 fatty acids include eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, found in fish and spirulina, and alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA, found in flax seeds, chia seeds and purslane. The body's ability to convert ALA to EPA and DHA varies among individuals.
Post Partum Depression
Feeling blue after the birth of your baby can be a normal reaction to hormone fluctuations. When sadness persists, it may be a sign of a more serious problem. Post partum depression affects approximately 10 to 20 percent of childbearing women, according to Beth Levant, of the University of Kansas Medical Center, who researched available scientific literature on omega-3 fatty acids and post partum depression. The causes of depression are complex and may include a genetic inability to change ALA to DHA. Prenatally, DHA is needed for healthy fetal development. A poor maternal diet may result in omega-3 depletion, which can get worse with subsequent pregnancies. The most vulnerable women are those who have little recovery time between births. High concentrations of DHA are required for brain function, deficiency may lead to depressed mood. Levant's analysis indicates that women's blood levels of DHA may drop as much as 50 percent following delivery and it may take months to replenish the loss. Levant also cited research showing that a higher consumption of fish during pregnancy is correlated with a lower incidence of post partum depression. Levant's review was published online October 27, 2010, in "Depression Research and Treatment."
Fetal Brain Development
Don't worry if you haven't consumed omega-3 fatty acids until late in pregnancy. Most DHA accumulates in the fetal brain during the third trimester. Levant states that low availability of DHA results in the substitution of omega-6 fats in fetal brain cells. While this change does not affect the weight or size of the baby's brain, it is associated with reduced function. Irene Cetin and colleagues, at the University of Milan in Italy, found that omega-3 fats impact brain and eye development, and that supplementation during pregnancy results in newborns with sharper vision, more organized sleep patterns, improved learning ability and better attention spans than babies born to deficient mothers. In four-year follow-ups, children of mothers supplemented with omega-3 fats had higher intelligence and less hyperactive behavior. The study was published in June of 2009 in "The Journal of Physiology."
Reduced Allergies
If you or your partner have allergies, or you have a child who suffers from food allergies, fish oils could protect your next baby. C. Furujhelm and colleagues, at Linkoping University in Sweden, conducted a randomized study of 145 pregnant women who had a family history of allergic disease. The mothers received either daily EPA and DHA supplements or placebo, starting at 25 weeks gestation and continuing through the first months of breastfeeding. The infants in the treatment group showed significantly fewer food allergies and eczema than controls. The study was published in the September 2009 "Acta Paediatrica."
References
- American Pregnancy Association: Omega-3 Fish Oil and Pregnancy
- PubMed: N-3 (omega-3) Fatty Acids in Postpartum Depression: Implications for Prevention and Treatment
- PubMed: Long Chain Fatty Acids and Dietary Fats in Fetal Nutrition
- PubMed: Fish Oil Supplementation in Pregnancy and Lactation May Decrease the Risk of Infant Allergy
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