First it was the USA, and now it's Europe's turn to highlight just how important it is for pregnant and breastfeeding women to eat Omega-3 fatty acids in order to enjoy a healthy pregnancy and ensure the proper development of the infant's brain.

 

A group of European experts working on behalf of the European Commission have come to the aforementioned conclusion barely a week after their American counterparts delivered their own verdict on the self-same subject.

 

The recommendations on fish consumption in pregnant women are the result of the group's latest research into perinatal lipid nutrition (PeriLip).

Dr Berthold Koletzko from Munich University presents new guidelines in the British Journal of Nutrition, recommending that pregnant and breastfeeding women should consume at least 200mg of DHA each day.

 

The committee of experts has revealed that women with a higher intake of DHA Omega-3s had healthier pregnancies, and that their babies had a higher birthweight and were less likely to be born prematurely.

 

 The intake of DHA has also been linked to improved results in the infant, such as the better development of the brain and eye.

 

- During pregnancy, dietary fat intake should be as recommended for the general population (in percentage of total energy);

 

- Pregnant or breastfeeding women should aim to achieve a dietary intake of at least 200mg of DHA per day;

 

- Intakes of up to 1g of DHA/day and up to 2.7g of Omega-3s/day have been studied in randomized clinical trials with no adverse effects;

 

- Women of childbearing age should aim to consume 1 to 2 portions of fish per week, including oily fish;

 

- Intake of the DHA precursor, ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), has a lesser effect on the foetal brain than DHA itself due to its low conversion rate;

 

 - Eating fish or getting Omega-3s from another source results in a slightly longer pregnancy.
                               

It is vital to inform women of the importance of getting an optimum intake of Omega-3s and notably DHA when pregnant, breastfeeding and whilst the infant is still young so that both mother and child can take full advantage of all the beneficial effects fatty acids bring.