Is fish oil good or bad during pregnancy?

Fish oil capsules are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.

During your pregnancy, you may ask yourself “Is fish oil good or bad for pregnancy?”. Well, even though fish has been a staple food in all cultures since the beginning of written history, the question of whether omega-3 fish oil is safe during pregnancy requires research

Research on omega-3 fatty acid supplements

Thankfully, such research exists, and the conclusions drawn are unsurprisingly that omega-3 fatty acid supplements for pregnancy have been linked to improved well-being and vitality.

Recent studies have uncovered  promising conclusions about the effects of omega-3 fish oils such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on infant immunity and brain health. So, when you ask yourself “Is fish oil safe during pregnancy?”, consider the following information:

Omega-3 fatty acids for decreasing allergies

Omega-3 fatty acids may help during pollen season.

In the first of the studies to be discussed [1], pregnant mums with a high risk of delivering a baby with allergic disease were provided with supplements of DHA and EPA from the 25^th week of their pregnancy, through to nearly 4 months post-partum. Furuhjelm and colleagues [1] determined that the children of the supplemented group of pregnant women displayed a lowered amount of allergic disease incidences within the first 24 months of their life (~50% lower than the group that did not receive DHA or EPA supplementation).

Omega-3 fatty acid supplements for brain health

DHA & EPA for brain health!

Conversely, a study by Campoy and colleagues [2] investigated the effects of DHA and EPA (as well as folic acid) on cognitive development at the age of 6.5 years. Pregnant mothers were provided with DHA and EPA supplements from the 20^th week of their pregnancy and until their baby was born. At 6.5 years of age, the children of the mothers who received DHA and EPA were linked to improved mental processing scores!

Safety of fish oil and omega-3 benefits

The question of “does my baby need DHA or EPA supplements?” may now hence be easier to answer, as the above studies have shown that the levels of DHA and EPA in the blood of expectant mothers can significantly influence the life of their children, both within the first 1000 days and beyond.

However, while taking a DHA or EPA supplement during pregnancy may be beneficial, it is still strongly recommended that any supplement used during gestation be approved by the relevant health authorities, and by a family doctor or dietician. This way, you can be confident that you are consuming the best fish oil during pregnancy, as well as the appropriate fish oil dosage during pregnancy.

References

1. Furuhjelm, C., et al. Pediatr Allergy Immunol, 2011. 22(5): p. 505-14.
2. Campoy, C., et al. Am J Clin Nutr, 2011.

from an Expert Author

Christopher Halkias

BSc (Hons), PhD – R&I Project Manager

Christopher Halkias is a biomedical scientist with extensive experience across many of the research institutions of Melbourne. He was awarded a PhD in Biomedical Science from RMIT University in 2018. His research interests include pharmacology, pathology, immunology and the use of natural products for therapeutic benefit.

Christopher has published multiple peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts, led scientific research within significant commercial projects and is an award-winning academic teacher. Through his efforts in research and teaching, he has an extensive understanding of science, and aims to communicate this knowledge to the Nurture Central family.

See author's posts