Oil of fish during pregnancy may not stimulate the vision of babies

NEW YORK - moms who take fish oil supplements may be not much done to sharpen the vision of their baby, a new study suggests.

The fly of some previous research findings that suggested Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), found in fish oil, improves vision in premature infants who receive supplements in their first months of life.

DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid involved in the brain and Visual development. Given that the substance crosses the placenta, primarily more later during the pregnancy, preterm Miss on a large part of their prenatal supply.

Therefore extra DHA after birth could help make up for this.

In the new study, Australian researchers looked at whether prenatal fish oil helps improve vision in infants born at term.

They have tested Visual acuity in 185 4 - month - olds whose mothers had been assigned at random to take rich in DHA fish oil capsules or placebo (capsules of vegetable oil) daily progestogen until delivery.

Overall, there was no benefit of DHA on the vision of newborns, the researchers report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

It is not clear why supplements have an impact, despite the benefits seen in premature infants given DHA after birth.

But one reason may be that preterm need the extra DHA, while babies born at term get all that they need for normal Visual development while still in the womb, according to Dr. Maria Makridesthe principal investigator of the study.

"I think that if women are better nourished and have a good scheme varied, then DHA supplementation during pregnancy to improve visual development for their unborn baby is not necessary," Makrides, women and children Health Research Institute of North AdelaideEn Australiatold Reuters Health in an e-mail.

Researchers are still studying if there could be other benefits to the development of infants. But studies have so far are mixed.

In a study published last year, the Makrides team found no evidence this oil of fish during pregnancy babies relaunched cognitive and language skills at the age of 18 months (see history of Reuters Health, October 19, 2010).

Makrides said that this and other studies are highlighting the fact that in term infants born to mothers well fed generally do well development delay - and it can be difficult to improve with DHA supplements.

There may be other benefits of fish during pregnancy oil. Some studies have suggested that it may reduce the risk of preterm birth, for example, but it is still on this issue.

In General, experts recommend that pregnant women strive to 200 milligrams of DHA per day. Certain prenatal vitamins now wear the fatty acid, which is also present in fish, especially the more fatty such as salmon, mackerel and tuna.

However, since the fish may be contaminated with mercury, doctors advise pregnant women to limit to two meals of fish per week. They should also choose fish have Omega-3, but which are likely to have low mercury levels, such as salmon, canned light tuna and shrimp.

Some fish - shark, swordfish, mackerel King and Tile - should be completely avoided during pregnancy because they may have high concentrations of mercury.

Makrides, stated that his team continues to follow children in this study to see if the oil of fish during pregnancy makes no cognitive difference and four language skills at the age.

As for the Visual development, fish oil has any benefit for infants born at term, it would be more evident in early life.

"At the end of childhood," Makrides said, "it would be much more difficult to find differences between groups, such as Visual development would be well advanced."