Kirkland fish oil pills, sold by Costco, are a dietary supplement meant to provide heart-healthy unsaturated fatty acids including essential omega-3 fatty acids. During pregnancy, omega-3 fatty acids serve a number of important purposes, including helping to foster brain development in your baby. In general, Kirkland fish oil pills are quite safe for use during pregnancy.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
The reason you may have heard that omega-3 fatty acids, such as those found in fish oil pills, are healthy during pregnancy is that they help foster brain development. Further, omega-3 fatty acids are generally heart-healthy and have anti-inflammatory properties. Natural sources of these fatty acids include cold water fish and walnuts, but if you're interested in getting more omega-3 fatty acids in your pregnancy diet than feasible through food alone, a fish oil supplement is one option.
Kirkland Fish Oil
Kirkland, the home brand of the Costco warehouse, makes a fish oil supplement. According to the Costco.com website, Kirkland fish oil contains oils extracted from a number of small fish species, including anchovies and sardines. Costco.com further specifies that the fish used are wild-caught, helping to reduce environmental impact from farmed fish. They mix their fish so as to maximize the omega-3 fatty acids in the oil pills, and each pill contains 300 mg of omega-3 fatty acids.
Concerns
Because some fish species can be contaminated with mercury, a neurotoxin that can damage the developing brain of an unborn baby, there's been some concern in recent years that fish-derived oils might also be contaminated. A 2009 article on NYTimes.com notes that recent studies suggest the contamination is minimal, as most fish used for oil supplements are smaller species, and contamination tends to be more severe in larger predator fish. Kirkland fish oil was among the brands specifically tested, and the article reports that contamination was minimal.
Other Considerations
If you're interested in taking fish oil supplements during your pregnancy, it's worth discussing with your obstetrician, as dietary supplements aren't held to the same safety standards as pharmaceutical drugs. Some women notice an unpleasant fishy taste or increased frequency of burping after taking fish oil pills. If you have trouble with this, you might try putting your pills in the freezer, as the lower temperature will help reduce the likelihood of refluxing fish flavor.
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