Nutritional Role of Omega-3 Fatty Acids During the Perinatal Period

Health Advantages of Breast Feeding for Infants: a Critical Review

“…In preterm infants, DHA status is positively correlated with psychomotor and mental development indices (Bjerve et al 1993). Improved retinal function (Uauy-Dagach & Mena, 1995) and visual acuity (Carlson, 1989) have been reported in premature infants fed human milk compared to those fed infant formula. Full term breast fed infants have higher erythrocyte DHA levels and better visual function than infants who receive infant formula as their primary energy source (Birch et al 1993;Makrides et al 1993).…”

Maternal lipid metabolism during normal pregnancy and its implications to fetal development

“…Owing to the importance of maternal dietary fatty acids in controlling the availability of PUFA to the fetus, strategies have been proposed to modify maternal intake of certain LCPUFA to account for their availability to the fetus; but an excess of certain fatty acids may impair the availability of others with undesirable consequences for newborns. The reason for this is the competitive desaturation of the w-3 and w-6 fatty acids by d6-and d5-desaturases, owing to their controlling role in the desaturating pathways of the parent EFA [81]. The inhibitory effect of both eicosapentanoic acid (C20:5 w-3) and DHA on d5-desaturase activity is considered to be responsible for the lower plasma AA found when fish oil (high in eicosapentanoic acid and DHA) is consumed [81].…”

Time for an oil check: the role of essential omega-3 fatty acids in maternal and pediatric health

“…16 Essential fatty acids such as arachadonic acid (o6) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (o3) are critical for normal development of the placenta and the fetus early in pregnancy, 17 and it is now clear that both are also necessary for brain and retinal development in later stages of gestation. [18][19][20] Considerable amounts of o3FAs, especially DHA, are transferred from mother to child particularly throughout the third trimester 21 -residual DHA in the mother may not fulfill requirements for optimal function if maternal stores are inadequate.…”