Pregnant Mothers Taking Omega 3 Supplements Protect their Child from Asthma and Wheeze, Study

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A mother's diet during pregnancy determines a child's physical and mental health. A new study shows that supplementing the diet of a mother with omega-3 during the last 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy may reduce the risks of a cough, wheeze, asthma and other respiratory track linked infections in her child throughout his first five years of age.  

New England Journal of Medicine published on 29th December the results of the new study that long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid in a pregnant mother's diet has strong effects on the unborn child who stays comparatively at a safer level from lower respiratory tract infections during his early life.

The absolute risk of asthma or tenacious wheeze and infections of the lower respiratory tract in offspring are reduced by approximately 7% or one third comments Hans Bisgaard, MD, DMSc, from Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood (COPSAC), Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark. This can help a child stay healthier in the early years of his life.

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 LCPUFA) is essential for brain growth which especially accelerates during the second half of the pregnancy. With an adequate addition of supplements in a mother's diet, it is ensured that child's brain and eyes' growth is supported. Lack or deprivation of omega-3 fatty acids causes behavioral and visual defects which cannot be reversed with postnatal care and supplementation according to NCBI.

According to Med Scape, 736 pregnant women were assigned to receive 2.4 g n-3 LCPUFA and fish oil until one week after the delivery.  The children after birth were assigned to Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood 2010. The comprehensive clinical phenotyping and follow-up of the children revealed that children's risk of persistent wheeze, lower respiratory tract infection and asthma throughout their first five years were reduced up to 30.7%.

More studies and research are needed to determine whether lower doses are effective or no and how much supplement do the different mothers need, added Christopher E. Ramsden, MD, from the National Institute on Aging, Baltimore.