During pregnancy, there are a great number of nutritional needs that a woman and her baby will experience that the woman doesn’t necessarily have when she is not pregnant. For example, during pregnancy a woman needs more folic acid and more iron than when she is not pregnant. One of the nutrients that researchers are discovering to be an important help during pregnancy is Omega-3 fatty acids. In particular, one type of fatty acid is especially helpful to the pregnant woman and to her baby. This is the Omega-3 fatty acid known as DHA.

DHA can most often be found in fish oil. In addition to being found in fish oil, however, the body can make a certain amount of DHA from another type of omega-3 fatty acid. This other type of omega-3 fatty acid, known as a-linolenic acid, can be found in flax, chia, and other nuts and seeds. Some research suggests, however, that DHA found in fish oil may be more effective, in terms of how it helps during pregnancy, than DHA that is made by the body from a-linolenic acid.

DHA helps you during pregnancy in a couple of ways. Getting enough DHA can help your baby’s development, for example. Research suggests that low levels of DHA can contribute to a variety of problems with a woman’s developing baby. These problems can include things like poor development of the retina, problems with vision, and even problems with cognitive development. Getting enough DHA during pregnancy, then, can help reduce the risks of those problems.

Getting enough DHA during pregnancy can also help you, in addition to helping your baby. There is evidence to suggest that DHA may reduce the levels of triglycerides, which will in turn lower a person’s risk of having heart disease. There is some research that suggests that low levels of DHA can actually trigger conditions such as ADHD and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as depression.

DHA can also help your baby after pregnancy, when you are breastfeeding. The DHA omega-3 fatty acids that you consume can be passed along to your baby, and help him or her as he or she grows and develops.

Some DHA supplements will come with an enteric coating, which will reduce the “fishy” taste that so often accompanies fish oil supplements.

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