If there is one time in your life when you’re hyper-aware of everything you’re putting into your body, it’s during pregnancy. You’ve likely stopped eating all sorts of favorite foods and stopped drinking favorite beverages. You’re also likely taking a prenatal supplement. But most prenatal supplements don’t contain any omega 3, and science now shows that taking DHA during pregnancy can give your baby a huge boost.

The Research
Scientists noticed that in populations around the world that live near the coast or otherwise eat oily fish several times a week, mothers and babies had fewer harmful effects during pregnancy. Mothers were less likely to suffer postpartum depression; babies were less likely to develop atopic conditions or ADD / ADHD.

Research conducted on a group of over 11,000 women in Britain confirmed their theory: the group that had the least amount of omega 3 in their diet had children with behavior problems, underdeveloped motor skills, and socialization issues such as ADD or ADHD. Even more startling, their children had lower IQs than those of mothers who got 12 ounces or more of oily fish a week.

The Benefits
Benefits from taking DHA during pregnancy are not insignificant. They include:

• lower risk of early labor
• longer gestation period, which means baby’s organs are better-formed and baby’s birth weight is higher
• reduced incidence of postpartum depression

With so much to gain from taking omega 3 or eating oily fish during pregnancy, are there any side effects to be aware of?

Well, yes. You need to be especially cautious at this critical time that you are not ingesting any toxins or pollutants. If you are eating oily fish from heavily-trafficked oceans such as the Atlantic, then you may be getting the mercury and PCBs that pollute that water.

Additionally, if you are taking a fish oil supplement that isn’t molecularly distilled and stringently tested for contaminants, you are also putting yourself and your baby at risk of these bad toxins.

I recommend you look for a supplement that has a guaranteed dosage and very strict testing protocols, so that you are getting all of the benefits and none of the risks that could happen when you are taking DHA during pregnancy.

If you’d like to find out more information about selecting a supplement or the effects of omega 3 on pregnancy, visit my website.