Pregnancy
A recent study by Dr. Joseph Hibbeln, a National Institutes of Health (NIH) researcher, has found that omega-3 fatty acids taken by pregnant women have a discernible, positive, effect on the mental and social development of their children.*
- Children of pregnant women whose diets had included the smallest amounts of omega-3s had verbal IQs six points lower than average.
- At three-and-a-half years of age, children of pregnant women whose diets had included the highest amounts of omega-3s had the best measurements of fine-motor performance.
- Children of pregnant women whose diets had included the smallest amounts of omega-3s had greater difficulty making friends as they grew older.
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* Hibbeln, Joseph, NIH, As reported in The Economist, January 19, 2006.
Peer Reviewed Studies
Pregnant Women Need Omega-3 to Boost Infant Development 2008
European Experts Recommend Pregnant and Nursing Women Take More DHA – Every Day 2007