It is totally understandable that women want to take the best care of themselves during pregnancy and fish oil supplements are something that can benefit the health of both the mother and the fetus.  It used to be believed that the benefits of DHA rich omega-3 fish oil could not effectively be passed on from mother to child, but that belief has since been proven wrong.

The theory was that a baby would benefit from DHA supplementation in infancy, but not before birth.  The benefits of high levels of DHA on cognitive development were well known, which is why many companies began producing infant formula that contained DHA.  This was a positive step, but more can be done to maximize the development of your child.

Studies conducted on pregnancy and fish oil have concluded that the cognitive development and visual acuity of a fetus can be enhanced.  This enhancement can only be accomplished if the levels of DHA in the mother and the child are as high as possible during the third trimester of the pregnancy.  This is when the most cognitive development takes place.

Children born with high levels of DHA in their system tend to advance more quickly than do children that suffer from DHA deficiencies.  It has been suggested that these infants have IQ’s that are anywhere between six and ten points higher than DHA deficient infants, and that during the first six months of life DHA rich children are on average one to two months ahead of their peers.

Other benefits that studies concerning pregnancy and fish oil supplements have concluded that babies whose mothers had high blood levels of DHA at delivery have attention spans that are greater than average, and that as children generally score much higher than their peers in tests of hand and eye coordination, reasoning, problem solving, and intelligence.

Taking increasingly higher doses through out the duration of the pregnancy has its benefits for the mother as well.  Women receiving DHA supplementation during the third trimester of their pregnancy tended to have a slight increase in the length of gestation, so it is thought that DHA decreases the risk of premature delivery.  There are mental benefits as well.

Women frequently suffer from depression during and after pregnancy and fish oil high in DHA has been proven beneficial in the treatment of depression.  A high intake of DHA rich fish oil can make it five times less likely that you will suffer from postpartum depression.  EPA, which is also present in fish oil, also lowers the incidence of suicidal thoughts from which a third of women going through pregnancy related depression suffer.

You want the very best for your child, and the evidence connecting superior cognitive development achieved during pregnancy and fish oil supplementation cannot be denied.  In order for you to improve your own health, and give your child a head start on life you should truly consider the use of a high quality DHA rich fish oil supplement.  The rewards involved are simply too great to ignore.

Laurel Cohen is a strong advocate of natural health in all its forms: skin care, supplementation, and farm fresh foods. She enjoys introducing people to the best natural products she can find and uses herself daily. Visit her site http://www.omega-3-for-health.com to learn about the omega 3 fish oils Laurel uses daily for optimal health.

Tagged with: Fish • Healthy • Pregnancy

Filed under: Pregnancy Depression Treatment

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