For supporting fetal brain and eye development, prenatal supplements today typically target a daily intake of 200 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). New science has now shown that DHA’s benefits go well beyond supporting the fetus’ neurodevelopment: Recent studies provide strong evidence that mothers’ proper DHA supply is linked to a major reduction of risk for preterm delivery. Preterm birth (<37 weeks) is a major burden for the infant and its family. It is the most common cause of death and disability in all children. Early preterm birth (<34 weeks) is the main cause of neonatal death and severe disabilities. In the EU, every year 500,000 babies are born preterm (1).
Ground-shaking science: Higher omega-3 intakes have a strong impact
Evidence linking appropriate omega-3 intakes to a reduced risk of premature birth has been steadily building over the last years. Finally, a Cochrane Review of omega-3 intake during pregnancy (2), came to a definitive and ground-shaking conclusion: Mothers who are sufficiently supplied with long-chain omega-3 fatty acids have a 42 % (!) lower risk for early preterm birth compared to those who are not. The message is clear: For preventing preterm birth, high levels of omega-3 fatty acids are needed. 200 mg DHA per day does not provide this effect. Instead, intakes of 800-1,000 mg DHA per day are needed for most women.
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Applying the science: New guidance
Two large trials published recently reconfirmed the Cochrane Review’s results (3), (4). Findings on this scale are hard to ignore and have started to shape guidelines globally. The Australian government already has issued new guidance for pregnant women to supplement their diets with 800 mg DHA and 100 mg eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) (5). Other countries are expected to follow suit as preterm birth is a grave public health issue. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every year approximately 15 million babies are born preterm, and one million children die each year due to complications arising from preterm birth worldwide (6).
Mind the nutrition gap: Omega-3 deficiency is widespread
Omega-3 intakes are very low in pregnant women. In Germany for instance, over 50 % of women in the group of 19–24-year-olds do not consume any fish (7) – the only relevant nutritional source of DHA. Obviously, there is a significant gap between many women’s omega-3 intakes and their actual prenatal needs. Today, a dose of only 200 mg DHA is the market standard. Increasing omega-3 intakes in pregnant women to levels above 1,000 mg/day is an immense opportunity to reduce preterm birth numbers.
There is a fulmental gap in the product offerings for prenatal supplementation. Supplements that deliver higher dosage are very hard to find.
It is time now for manufacturers to increase DHA dosage and help pregnant mothers reduce the risk of preterm birth.
MarisOmega by ImperialOel
MarisOmega DHA ingredients are supplied to major infant formula producers and offer a sustainable, natural solution for formulating prenatal supplement products. We offer vegan omega-3 products made from non-GM microalgal and vegetable oils, as well as high purity fish oils using raw materials sourced from certified sustainable fisheries. Available in both oil and powder formats, our ingredients are backed by 100 % traceability. We provide extensive technical support on DHA in supplement and food applications as well as guidance on quality and regulatory matters.
Further information: https://marisomega.com, Contact: https://marisomega.com/contact/
References
(1) European foundation for the care of newborn infants (EFCNI): EU Benchmarking Report 2009/2010: Too little, too late? Why Europe should do more for preterm infants. May 2010, updated: November 2011.
(2) Middleton, Philippa, et al.: Omega-3 Fatty Acid Addition During Pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 11(11). 2018.
(3) Carlson, Susan E., et al.: Higher Dose Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation During Pregnancy and Early Preterm Birth: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Adaptive-Design Superiority Trial. EClinicalMedicine 36. 2021.
(4) Simmonds, L. A., et al.: Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Pregnancy—Baseline Omega-3 Status and Early Preterm Birth: Exploratory Analysis of a Randomised Controlled Trial. An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology 127(8). 975–981. 2020.
(5) Australian Government Department of Health. Clinical Practice Guidelines. Pregnancy Care. 2020 Edition. URL: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/pregnancy-care-guidelines [09. June 2022].
(6) World Health Organization (WHO). Preterm birth. February 2018. URL: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/preterm-birth [13. June 2022].
(7) Max Rubner-Institut: Nationale Verzehrstudie II. 2008. URL: https://www.mri.bund.de/fileadmin/MRI/Institute/EV/NVSII_Abschlussbericht_Teil_2.pdf [09. June 2022].