Why Do I Need DHA During Pregnancy?

Key Takeaways

• DHA builds healthy tissues in many organs throughout fetal development and after birth*
• A developing fetus rapidly accumulates DHA in the third trimester
• DHA during pregnancy improves birth and infant outcomes*

You’ve likely heard that taking DHA during pregnancy will help your baby’s brain development.* But you’re probably thinking, “My mom never took DHA when she was pregnant with me, and I’m brilliant!” Ok, you are pretty smart—after all, you’re reading this article. Maybe your mom’s DHA intake was sufficient. Maybe she has gene variations that put her at low risk for DHA insufficiency. And maybe after you read this article, you’ll decide that you don’t need to increase your DHA intake during pregnancy. But first, we’d like to help you gather information to make your own decision. Let’s talk about DHA.

What Does DHA Do In The Body?

DHA builds healthy bodies, brains, and eyes.* 

Omega-3 DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is a long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) that is critical for building flexible, responsive cell membranes and facilitating healthy immune reactions throughout our lives. 

During fetal development, DHA rapidly accumulates in specific tissues where it is needed upon birth—the brain, eyes, liver, adipose (fat), and skeletal muscle. Once an infant is born, DHA is important for healthy vision, healthy cognition, and a healthy immune system.^1-3 Statistically, mothers with high DHA levels during pregnancy have longer pregnancies^4-6 and fewer preterm births (<34 weeks).^4,6,7 Babies born to these moms tend to have higher birth weight,^5,8,9 and experience earlier gains in visual10-12 and cognitive development.*^10,13,14

DHA Pregnancy Benefits

Emerging evidence about DHA and pregnancy

Recent research indicates that the benefits of DHA during pregnancy may not be limited to the brain and eyes. Two areas of emerging evidence suggest that DHA may also influence a child’s future body composition and their risk for allergies—both of which represent increasingly prevalent health concerns for today’s youth*.^2,6

DHA in the last trimester

A developing baby accumulates DHA throughout the pregnancy, but especially during the last trimester. 

As the fetus ramps up DHA absorption, that same DHA is lost from the mother. (Thus begins a lifetime of your kid taking your stuff without asking.) If the mother already has low DHA status, then this last-minute demand puts her at risk of DHA insufficiency, which can have serious implications. Low maternal DHA upon birth has been associated with an increased risk of postpartum mood disturbances*.^6,7 This is especially problematic for mothers who intend to breastfeed, since DHA insufficiency will be reflected in their milk and, ultimately, could also put the infant at risk for DHA insufficiency. It’s difficult to say how much DHA storage an infant is born with (based on animal studies, maybe 1-2 months⁹). Incredibly, researchers have been able to predict DHA insufficiency in two-month-old babies by their level of visual acuity. The newborns with DHA insufficiency at two months also had lower language skills at 18 months*.⁹

The good news is that mothers who consume more DHA in just the last few weeks of pregnancy give birth to babies with significantly higher DHA levels.¹⁰  This means that it’s never too late to increase your DHA intake.

How Do I Get DHA Into My Diet?

A mother’s diet has a significant impact on how much DHA her fetus can accumulate and how much DHA her baby has at birth. Pregnant women who eat fish regularly, or who take fish or algae oil supplements, give birth to infants with significantly higher DHA levels, compared to infants born to mothers who don’t consume preformed DHA sources.¹¹ Further, these higher DHA levels at birth are sustained in the infant throughout the first few months of life, as opposed to the decline in infant DHA status that typically occurs.¹⁵ Taking DHA supplements^12,13 or regularly eating fatty fish^16,17 during pregnancy significantly increases DHA in the newborn and in breastmilk.

Safety Of DHA During Pregnancy

Of course, the primary concern with increasing DHA intake is whether there is a safety risk to your unborn baby or to you. The quick answer is: DHA supplementation during pregnancy is very safe when used as intended.¹⁴

Now that you know why DHA is important during pregnancy, you know what to do: Eat fish. Take a supplement. Spread the word to random pregnant women on the street. It’ll be brilliant! Just like you.

‡ Based on Stackline, Nielsen, and SPINS annual sales data

FDA Disclaimer: 

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

General Notice & Disclaimer: 

This information is for educational purposes only. Always consult your health care provider if you have a known medical condition or are taking medications. The information provided herein is based on a review of current existing research; the presenter and sponsor do not accept responsibility for the accuracy of the information itself or the consequences from the use or misuse of the information. 

References: 

1. Swanson D, et al. Adv Nutr. 2012. 3(1): p. 1-7.
2. Richard C, et al. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2016. 41(5): p. 461-75.
3. Harris W.S., M.L. Baack. J Perinatol. 2015. 35(1): p. 1-7.
4. Carlson S.E., et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013. 97(4): p. 808-15.
5. Christian L.M., et al. PLoS One. 2016. 11(2): p. e0148752.
6. Harris M.A., et al. Biomed Res Int. 2015. 2015: p. 123078.
7. Yelland L.N., et al. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2016. 112: p. 44-9.
8. Cinelli G, et al. Nutrients. 2018. 10(4).
9. Keenan K, et al. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2016. 71: p. 170-5
10. Mulder K.A., et al. PLoS One. 2014. 9(1): p. e83764.
11. Qawasmi A, et al. Pediatrics. 2013. 131(1): p. e262-72.
12. Innis S.M., R.W. Friesen. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008. 87(3): p. 548-57.
13. Lassek W.D., S.J. Gaulin. Matern Child Nutr. 2015. 11(4): p. 773-9.
14. Ramakrishnan U, et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2016. 104(4): p. 1075-1082.
15. Kuipers R.S., et al. J Nutr. 2011. 141(3): p. 418-27.
16. Urwin H.J., et al. J Nutr. 2012. 142(8): p. 1603-10.
17. Miles E.A., et al. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011. 94(6 Suppl): p. 1986S-1992S.