July 2022

Omega 3 is an essential nutrient for pregnant women. DHA and EPA, the major components of omega, play a very important role in the health of the mother and the development of the fetus.

Effects of Omega 3 on the Fetus

DHA is a component of brain, nervous tissue, and retinal tissue. In addition, it increases the fluidity of the cell membrane, increases the generation of synapses and neural tissues, and plays a large role in the increase of photoreceptors in the retina. During the second half of pregnancy, the brain and nerves of the fetus develop rapidly. It is important to remember that the brains of the fetus and newborn develop intensively from the 20th week of gestation to the age of 1, and accumulate DHA by the 18th month of life.

EPA is essential for maintaining pregnancy. This is because it inhibits the production of ‘PGE2’ and ‘PGF2 alpha’, which are inflammatory precursors that can cause premature birth, and promotes the production of ‘PGI2’ that relaxes the uterine muscles, thereby preventing the risk of premature birth. In fact, in an experiment conducted in the Faroe Islands, Denmark, it was found that newborns in the Faroe Islands weigh 200g more than newborns in 33 other countries. The researchers explained, “This is because women in the Faroe Islands ate an abundance of omega-3-rich seafood.”

A study published in 2010 by Columbia University Medical Center in the United States demonstrated that taking omega-3s was clearly effective in reducing the rate of preterm birth. The researchers divided 232 pregnant women who had experienced premature birth into two groups and asked them to consume omega-3 and olive oil from the 20th week of pregnancy until delivery. As a result, they found that the relapse rate of preterm birth was reduced by 21-33% in the group taking omega-3. In addition, EPA contributes to the mRNA expression of fatty acid transport protein (FATP4). Fatty acid transport protein is a substance that helps to deliver DHA, which is helpful for fetal brain development, to the fetus through the placental membrane.

The American Pregnancy Association (American Pregnancy Association) is actively recommending mothers to take omega-3 as research results have been published that omega 3 is beneficial for the development of the fetus.

Which omega 3 is right for pregnant women?

Omega 3 is not a component that is formed in the body. Therefore, it must be supplemented from outside such as food intake or nutritional supplements. Before choosing an omega 3 nutritional supplement, you should carefully examine △purity, △content, and △extraction method. In particular, if pregnant women take it, it is also necessary to check whether it is ‘vegetable omega 3’. There is almost no fishy smell unique to animal omega 3, so pregnant women who are sensitive to smells can take it without any burden.

The extraction method should also be checked. The well-known molecular distillation extraction method refers to a method of extracting omega 3 by boiling oil at a temperature of 150 degrees or higher. Although it is a proven method, it may not be suitable for pregnant women because the molecular structure may change and go rancid during the heating process due to the nature of omega 3, which is weak to heat. In contrast, the low-temperature supercritical extraction method uses carbon dioxide as a solvent to extract omega 3 at low temperature, so there is less concern regarding the risk of rancidity and residual solvent.

It’s also a good idea to check if the product contains vitamin D as well. If omega 3 helps the brain, retina, and nerve development of the fetus, vitamin D plays an important role in the formation of bones and teeth by helping the fetus absorb calcium and phosphorus. The timing of taking it also overlaps following 12 weeks of pregnancy, so if you choose a nutritional supplement that contains omega 3 and vitamin D, you do not need to take it separately.