Omega-3 fatty acids are polyunsaturated fatty acids that your body needs to keep healthy but cannot produce itself. Your brain contains a large amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which implies that these fatty acids have a great effect on the performance of the brain and on memory as well as behavioral function. Infants who do not get enough omega-3 fatty acids during their development in the womb run the risk of developing problems with their sight and nervous system.
Benefits to the Mother
The two most beneficial omega-3 fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA for short, and docosahexaenoic acid, more commonly referred to as DHA. These two fatty acids work together, and each has unique benefits. EPA is beneficial for the heart, immune system and inflammatory response, while DHA is beneficial for the brain, eyes and central nervous system -- making it uniquely important for pregnant and nursing women. By increasing intake of EPA and DHA, pregnant women have a better chance of avoiding pre-term labor and delivery. They also have a lower risk of suffering from pre-eclampsia and postpartum mood disorders.
Benefits to the Baby
By adding EPA and DHA to her diet, a pregnant woman helps her baby's development. These fatty acids support the visual and cognitive development of the child, the American Pregnancy Association reports. In addition to this, consuming higher amounts of omega-3 may reduce the risk of allergies in infants and increase both birth and gestational weight. Because the fetus depletes the mother's supply of omega-3 during its development, it is very important that this supply be replenished as quickly as possible through diet. Augmenting a nursing mother's diet with omega-3 is essential, because these fatty acids are also used in the production of breast milk.
Availability
You can get omega-3 by including in your diet fatty fish such as anchovies, bluefish, carp, catfish, halibut, herring, lake trout, mackerel, pompano, salmon, striped sea bass, albacore tuna and whitefish. You can also get omega-3 by eating food from plants such as soybeans, walnuts, flaxseed oil and canola oil. If you prefer not to eat seafood, you can take EPA and DHA in the form of fish oil capsules. You need to refrigerate flaxseed, flaxseed oil, fish and krill oils, because these tend to spoil rather quickly.
Precautions
Because of the danger of the presence of heavy metals such as mercury, lead and cadmium in omega-3 sources, be sure to buy your omega-3 fatty acid supplements from established companies that certify their products are free of heavy metals. The same precautions are true for fish, as some may be contaminated with these heavy metals as well as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls. Because of this, pregnant or nursing women should limit the amount of sport-caught fish they eat to no more than one 6-oz. meal a week. Some farm-raised, imported or marine fish such as mackerel, shark, swordfish or tilefish have been found to have high levels of mercury and should be avoided.
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