how omega 3 makes sure of a healthy pregnancy
TRANSCRIPT
How Omega 3 Helps a Healthy Pregnancy
• Expecting mothers have a million worries. Picking out a good name, getting the nursery ready, getting clothing and supplies, and keeping routine doctors appointments are just a few. However, the biggest worry a pregnant woman will encounter is about the health of her child and herself
• Adequate medical care, a good diet and prenatal vitamins lower the chances of experiencing many of the common complications that can occur during pregnancy and prenatal development, but the majority of prenatal vitamins and modern diets are missing a vital component: omega-3.
• There are several benefits to the mother from omega 3 during pregnancy, the main ones are:
Preventing Miscarriage
• Omega 3 can help to prevent miscarriage because of it’s positive effect on the Cardiovascular System. Having good blood flow to the uterus in pregnancy is vital, and poor blood flow is a possible source of miscarriage
• A study has shown that omega 3 supplementation significantly reduced the chance of miscarriage
Preeclampsia
• Preeclampsia is a potentially serious condition that can occur in the third trimester of pregnancy. While it’s most common in women that are overweight or have diabetes, it is still one of the leading causes of complications in pregnancy
• Omega 3 cannot cure preeclampsia, however, it may prevent it. Studies have shown that women that had higher levels of omega 6 and lower levels of omega 3 have up to 7 times more chance of developing preeclampsia
• Another study found a direct link between omega 3 deficiency and preeclampsia
Preventing Premature Birth
• Nobody wants a premature birth, and carrying a baby all the way to full term is extremely important
• A study in 1992 gave women in their third trimester either omega 3, olive oil or nothing at all. Those women given omega 3 had the longest pregnancies, and those with olive oil the shortest.
• It’s also been observed that high omega 6 levels lead to shorter pregnancies. We can reduce omega 6 levels by increasing our omega 3 intake
Building a Healthy Brain
• Omega 3 and the brain are deeply connected. DHA, the omega 3 fatty acid is the main fatty acid found in the brain, and it’s extremely important for the brain to function properly
• Studies have shown that women who had a high intake of omega 3 during pregnancy and when breastfeeding had babies with higher IQ’s
• It’s even more important in a developing foetus. A baby in the womb must build a mind boggling 250,000 brain cells a minute, to reach between 100 billion and 200 billion brain cells at birth, and a good supply of DHA is needed to build every single cell
• A deficiency of omega 3 during pregnancy has also been linked with babies developing ADHD and schizophrenia later in life
Promoting Good Eyesight
• Just as it is with the brain, DHA is also an essential building block of the eyes.
• Studies in monkeys and humans have shown that low levels of omega 3 in mothers led to poorer eyesight in their offspring than the offspring of mothers with higher levels of omega 3
Preventing Post Natal Depression
• Because of the high demands of the foetus for DHA throughout pregnancy, the mother’s levels of Omega 3 can become depleted. Pregnant women in the 3rd trimester and women who have just given birth are particularly prone to omega 3 deficiency
• Several studies have shown that this depletion of omega 3 plays a role in developing post natal depression. For example a 2007 study found that lower omega 3 levels during pregnancy made women 6 times more likely to develop post natal depression
• For more information and to see the citations for the studies mentioned please check out our blog
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• Studies have also shown that this effect of DHA depletion may be cumulative, so with each successive birth a mother can become more prone to DHA depletion, making supplementation even more important