Learn why a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids can double a pregnant woman's risk of prenatal and postpartum depression.
By Jennifer Bush
Pregnant women who are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids double their risk of prenatal and postpartum depression, compared to women with normal or high intake, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Rockville, MD, and the University of Illinois-Chicago. Women who rarely or never ate fish (the best source of omega-3 fatty acids) faced the highest risk for depressive symptoms. But each incremental increase in consumption of these fatty acids was associated with a proportionate decrease in depression. When a baby's brain is developing during pregnancy, it draws on the mother's supply of omega-3s, says study co-author and NIH psychiatrist Joseph Hibbeln, M.D. As a result, her reserves can become depleted if dietary consumption is minimal. In addition to fish -- in particular, fatty fish like salmon -- healthy sources of omega-3s include walnuts, flaxseeds, and olive oil. The FDA states that up to 3 grams of omega-3s a day are safe but advises pregnant women to limit fish consumption to 12 ounces a week.
Copyright © 2003. Reprinted with permission from the October 2003 issue of Child Magazine.
http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-...y-proper-diet/
By Jennifer Bush
Pregnant women who are deficient in omega-3 fatty acids double their risk of prenatal and postpartum depression, compared to women with normal or high intake, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Rockville, MD, and the University of Illinois-Chicago. Women who rarely or never ate fish (the best source of omega-3 fatty acids) faced the highest risk for depressive symptoms. But each incremental increase in consumption of these fatty acids was associated with a proportionate decrease in depression. When a baby's brain is developing during pregnancy, it draws on the mother's supply of omega-3s, says study co-author and NIH psychiatrist Joseph Hibbeln, M.D. As a result, her reserves can become depleted if dietary consumption is minimal. In addition to fish -- in particular, fatty fish like salmon -- healthy sources of omega-3s include walnuts, flaxseeds, and olive oil. The FDA states that up to 3 grams of omega-3s a day are safe but advises pregnant women to limit fish consumption to 12 ounces a week.
Copyright © 2003. Reprinted with permission from the October 2003 issue of Child Magazine.
http://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-...y-proper-diet/
