Maternal diet: The role of DHA in newborn health

Why DHA?

Although the studies have been robust, multiple research groups have found that infant cognitive function, sleeping, attention, problem-solving, and vision are improved in infants of mothers consuming DHA supplementation. These benefits have been shown to extend into childhood with improved IQ at 4 years and development at 5.5 years.

Sleep

Emerging research is also finding that maternal DHA prenatal may affect infant sleep, particularly in sleep organization. Better sleep organization is correlated with optimal neurocognitive outcomes as well as emotional-social outcomes (i.e. behavior). A study from 2012, which was a double-blind RTC, looked at newborn sleep and maternal DHA. Mothers took 300mg of DHA 5 days a week at 24 weeks gestation until delivery. Their babies had less arousal in their sleep compared to the placebo group.

Behavior

A double-blind RTC study from 2007 looking at pregnant mothers taking DHA from 24 weeks to delivery found that infants of mothers taking DHA (300mg/day) had improved probing-solving at 9 months.

A study out of Europe looking at mothers found that mothers who DHA 500mg and EPA 150 from weeks gestation to delivery had children will improved neurologic development scores at 5.5 years of age. Interestingly, the neurologic function scores increased with every unit increment in cord blood DHA level at delivery. Suggesting that DHA cord blood levels may be related to better neurologic outcomes.

A double-blind RTC study published in 2013 in Early Human Development looked into supplementing DHA in pregnant moms 22-24 weeks with 1440mg per day until childbirth. They found the treatment groups had an easier time with a routine at 1, 4, and 6 months. Routines in early childhood have been correlated with improved sleep and behavioral outcomes (such as tantrums).

What does DHA do?

DHA helps regulate the membrane of neurons. It is found in high levels in the retina, cerebral cortex, and synapses (the area of the neuron that “fire”).

When and how much

Babies get most of their DHA in the third trimester. Fetuses have a limited ability to convert other fatty acids to DHA. To compensate for this, the placenta preferentially binds DHA. The average mother in the US and Canada consumes 39-99mg/day. The recommended level is 200mg per day. Many studies looked at doses between 300-1500mg a day.