Women who eat oily fish or take omega 3 supplements while pregnant can boost their children´s brain power, research suggests today.

Findings published in the American publication, the Journal of Pediatrics shows that babies whose mothers raised their intake of omega 3 fats late in their pregnancy did better at tests of brain and eye development.

Researchers looked at the results of 109 infants in tests taken at six and eleven months, and compared these results to the amount of DHA (an omega 3 fatty acid) in their umbilical cord.  Those with higher cord-blood DHA at birth performed better in tests of visual acuity, memory, cognitive and motor development.

Government advice already recommends that women increase their intake of Omega 3 during pregnancy, but there have been concerns over the levels of mercury and other pollutants found in fish higher up the food chain. 

As a result some women prefer to take high quality cod liver oil and other fish supplements, where the pollutants have been filtered out.

Read more about cod liver oil and omega 3 supplements.

Read reviews of cod liver oil and omega 3 supplements.

Read reviews of supplements for pregnancy.

 

---