Research

Hormonal

Maternal intake of Omega-3 fatty acids (specifically DHA) reduces the risk of premature birth and improves fetal intellectual development.

If you are pregnant or planning to be, aim for 200mg of DHA daily. The best source is 1-2 servings of oily fish per week. If you are vegetarian, use a fish oil supplement or ensure your infant formula is fortified with DHA, as plant-based ALA is not converted efficiently enough for fetal brain needs.

LimitedSupportsHIGH confidence
Consumption of v-3 FAs during pregnancy reduces the risk of premature birth and improves intellectual development of the fetus. ... Maternal supplementation during pregnancy and lactation has also been shown to improve the mental development of the child.
B M Yashodhara et al. · Postgraduate Medical Journal · 2009

Why this rating

Based on guidelines and studies cited.

Source

Omega-3 fatty acids: a comprehensive review of their role in health and disease

B M Yashodhara et al. · Postgraduate Medical Journal · 2009

DOI 10.1136/pgmj.2008.073338

narrative_reviewCited 327×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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