Omega-3 fatty acids are important nutrients for the health of your heart and your brain. During pregnancy, increased omega-3 intake is required to promote proper fetal development and a healthy pregnancy. There are three types of dietary omega-3s, including docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA; eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA; and alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. However, as your body has only a limited capacity to utilize omega-3s from ALA sources, you should get most of your omega-3s when pregnant from EPA and DHA sources such as fish.
Significance
Getting sufficient omega-3 fatty acids in your diet is of utmost importance when you are pregnant. Omega-3s during pregnancy are critical for fetal brain and eye development, and they have positive effects on the pregnancy itself. According to the American Pregnancy Association, omega-3s have been shown to reduce risk of pre-term birth, pre-eclampsia and postpartum depression. Omega-3s also promote a healthy gestational weight and birth weight, and they may help prevent the infant from being born with allergies, notes APA. There is no established Recommended Dietary Allowance, or RDA, for omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy. According to a review of literature regarding omega-3 intake during pregnancy published by "Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology" in 2008, the dietary goal for omega-3s during pregnancy should be 650 mg per day, including 300 mg DHA.
Dietary Sources
Fatty fish are the primary dietary source of omega 3s. The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend pregnant women eat 8 to 12 oz. of fish per week, or about two meals' worth. Other dietary sources of EPA and DHA include algae and fortified products such as milk and juice. Foods rich in ALA include walnuts, flaxseed and vegetable oils such as olive, canola and soybean oil. Due to risk of mercury contamination, your weekly fish intake when pregnant should not exceed 12 oz. You should also avoid larger and predatory fish, which are more more likely to contain unsafe levels of mercury. According to MayoClinic.com, good fish to eat during pregnancy include salmon, pollock, catfish, cod, crab, shrimp, tilapia and canned light tuna; fish to avoid when pregnant include shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish.
Supplements
According to the research on omega-3s during pregnancy published in "Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology" in 2008, it is important to get some omega-3s from dietary supplements during pregnancy, as the safe amount fish intake for pregnant women -- 12 oz. per week -- only provides 100 to 250 mg omega-3s daily. Also, due to the body's low rate of conversion of ALA to biologically active EPA and DHA, it may not be feasible to make up the rest of omega-3 intake needs with ALA sources like vegetable oils. Fortunately, pregnant women can safely and effectively use fish oil supplements and/or algae-derived DHA supplements to supply the remaining 400 to 550 mg of daily omega-3 needs, according to the review. It is necessary, however, to consult with your physician before taking any dietary supplements when pregnant.
Risks
While eating fish when pregnant poses some mercury contamination risks, fish oil supplements do not carry such a risk. Still, fish oil and omega-3 supplements are also associated with certain health risks. According to March of Dimes, vitamin E is added to many fish oil supplements, and if you take these along with other supplements containing vitamin E, the result may be unsafe levels of the vitamin that could harm your pregnancy. Also, fish oil and other omega-3 supplements increase risk of bleeding, such as nosebleeds. Omega-3 supplements that may be unsafe to take during pregnancy include cod liver oil, due to its high vitamin A content, and flaxseed oil, as some animal studies show it to be harmful during pregnancy, according to March of Dimes. Talk to your health care provider before taking any of these products.
References
- American Pregnancy Association; Omega-3 Fish Oil and Pregnancy; August 2009
- "Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology"; Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation During Pregnancy; James A. Greenberg, et al.; Fall 2008
- March of Dimes; Omega-3 Fatty Acids; March 2010
- Mayo Clinic; Pregnancy and Fish: What's Safe to Eat?; February 2011
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