Is Fish Oil For Pregnant Women a Good Idea?

When women become pregnant they are advised to keep away from oily fish. The reason for this is because oily fish such as salmon and tuna are often caught from areas which are heavily fished and this causes the fish to be high in pollutants, especially mercury. So you would have thought fish oil for pregnant women would be a bad idea too, but you could in fact be wrong.

Pregnant women should of course consult with their doctor before starting on any kind of supplement, let alone fish oil, but if you get fish oil that has been processed in a particular way then there can be huge benefits for both the fetus and the mother. The process that the oil has to go through is molecular distillation. Basically this is a process of purifying the fish oil which means it should be perfectly safe to take. You do have to check that it has gone through this process though, as not all manufacturers do it.

Once you have found a fish oil that has undergone this treatment then the benefits that you get are all from the DHA fat to be found in it. Most supplements are higher in the other essential fat EPA but you really want one higher in DHA for the following reasons:-

• Fetal Brain Development - The human brain is made up of about 60% fats and of that amount half again is DHA fats. Once developed the body does not make it any more and it has to come from an outside source. By taking a supplement the mother will be helping the baby because while its brain is being developed, it will be getting the best nourishment possible for it. It is believed that children born to mothers who have taken DHA during pregnancy have children that are less likely to have learning and attention disorders too.
• Eye Development - As well as the brain having high levels of DHA so do the eyes. Again it is about 60% of the eye is made up of this essential fat; and although by taking it it will not stop a child having long or short sight if that is the way they are genetically made up, but it will help make sure that the retina is developed properly.
• Asthma & Allergies - It has been reported that children whose mothers took DHA fats during pregnancy had very low numbers of children that suffered from asthma or allergies. Researchers are not 100% sure what causes these conditions but they think it is inflammation. Inflammation can overstimulate the immune system in the developing fetus causing the conditions but DHA which is well known for its anti inflammatory properties can stop this from happening.

One final thing about fish for pregnant women is that because of they way it feeds the brain it is known to help reduce the possibility of post natal depression too. So not only is it good for the baby but it helps out the mother as well.