What it is
DHA is the omega-3 fat that goes straight into your baby's brain and eyes, most of it in the third trimester. Fish and seafood are the main food source. Fish oil and algae oil are the supplement forms. Which fish are safe is the question that follows, because of mercury.
What's typical
Most U.S. mothers eat far less fish than guidelines suggest, often from fear of mercury. The FDA and EPA suggest 8 to 12 ounces a week of low-mercury fish. That is two or three meals. Salmon, sardines, anchovies, herring, trout, and canned light tuna are high in DHA and low in mercury. Shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, and bigeye tuna are the ones to skip.
What's known
ACOG and the FDA both say the benefit of fish in pregnancy outweighs the mercury risk when you choose low-mercury kinds. A large Cochrane review linked omega-3 intake in pregnancy with fewer preterm births. Studies on child IQ are mixed. Algae-based DHA is the vegan option.
What helps
- Pick two fish meals a week you actually like. Canned salmon or sardines on toast count.
- If fish is off the table, ask your provider about a fish oil or algae DHA supplement.
When to call someone
- Nowtrouble breathing or swelling after eating fish or shellfish.
- Todayvomiting or diarrhea after fish that does not stop, which can be food poisoning.
- At your next visityou eat no fish, or you take blood thinners and want to ask about fish oil.
Who helps
Tools: Postpartum Meal Planner
Related
- Food safety: listeria, mercury, raw foodsPregnancy: Eating
- What to eat in pregnancy: the short versionPregnancy: Eating
- Supplements beyond the prenatal: what's worth asking aboutPregnancy: Eating
- Choline: the nutrient nobody mentionsPregnancy: Eating
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Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Environmental Protection Agency — Advice about eating fish for those who are or might become pregnant
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists — Nutrition during pregnancy FAQ
- Cochrane — Omega-3 fatty acid addition during pregnancy review
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