Pregnancy, Breast Feeding and
Omega 3 Oil
Omega 3 oils are of great importance during pregnancy and breast feeding, to both mother and baby. A study of women in the Faroe Islands,
who have a high consumption of oily fish, found virtually no pre-term deliveries (a prolonged gestation) and a reputation for healthy
babies.
This is attributed to Omega 3 intake dampening the influence of inflammatory prostaglandins, which can influence uterine
contractability and cervical ripening.
It is also important to note that during pregnancy
the demand for Omega 3 will increase due to the growing foetus. Following the birth, the mother's milk is the sole supply of the necessary
Omega 3 fatty acids to the baby.
It is, therefore, important for the mother to maintain a healthy intake of essential fatty acids at these crucial points in the
child's development, when the nervous system is developing. Cow's milk does not contain any Omega 3.
Research has also shown that Omega 3 oil supplements can counter
postnatal depression. In 2003, an American study
tracking 14,541 women from their eighth week of pregnancy to eight months after giving birth, found those who had no seafood (rich in
omega 3) had nearly twice the rate of depression as those who ate 10 ounces of fish daily, leading the authors to conclude that
'Omega-3 fatty acids have beneficial health effects with no adverse side effects.'
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