What month should pregnant women supplement DHA?

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

DHA is very good for the health of mother and baby, supports in the development of the fetal brain and the baby's eyesight is also better. This process takes place throughout pregnancy and culminates in the third trimester. Learn about DHA supplementation during pregnancy not only helps children have the best brain foundation, but also helps mothers have a healthy pregnancy, reducing the risk of premature birth.

DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) is an Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid. This is an essential nutrient for the formation of a baby's brain and eyes right from the womb until the first two years of life.
The formation and development of the fetal brain begins from the first weeks in the womb. From week 13 to week 24, the baby has formed vision and hearing, can perceive light outside, hear the mother's voice and begin to receive information. Closer to the due date, the baby's brain size is about 25% of that of an adult. Studies on experimental animals show that DHA is present in high concentrations in neural tissues such as the retina of the eye and brain tissue. Therefore, a deficiency of DHA will affect the structure and function of these organs.

Diet before and during pregnancy is very important for the status of essential fatty acids (EFAs: Essential Fatty Acid) for the fetus. Especially in the last 3 months, an average of 1 day fetus needs 2.2g EFAs/day for the development of the nervous system and blood vessels.

According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, during pregnancy, depending on the stage of pregnancy, women need to supplement from 100-200 mg of DHA per day. Specifically:
During the first trimester: Eating a rich, balanced and nutritious diet helps pregnant women receive a variety of nutrients from nature, reduces the risk of miscarriage, especially helps the baby. develop best from the first days in the womb.
During the second trimester : This is the period when it is necessary to accelerate the quality of the source of DHA for the fetus because the baby's brain develops continuously and is at its strongest with more than 250,000 neurons forming every minute. Therefore, DHA plays a role in providing fluidity to cell membranes, accelerating the exchange of nutrients and information between nerve cells.
In the third trimester: The size of the fetus and brain increases rapidly, so it requires more fatty acids to focus on developing the nervous system and blood vessels. This is also a period with a relatively high demand for DHA, which helps pregnant mothers reduce the risk of premature birth, pre-eclampsia, and indirectly helps the fetus develop best from the first years of life through breast milk. born.
Omega-3 fatty acids also protect the body against cardiovascular diseases, stroke and reduce arthritis.

Particularly in pregnant women, the deficiency of DHA has adverse effects on both mother and child. Pregnant women face an increased risk of premature birth, pre-eclampsia as well as postpartum depression, problems with menopause, osteoporosis and other heart problems later in life.
For the fetus, because the mother lacks DHA, the quantity and quality of red blood cells is poor, reducing enough nutrient and oxygen requirements for the fetus's general development, in which, the central nervous system and the retina of the eye are the two organs most severely affected, with limited intelligence, poor learning ability, growth retardation, reduced vision compared to children of the same age who are fully supplemented with DHA.

While the human body is completely unable to provide enough DHA on its own, increasing DHA-rich foods during this period should be of utmost importance. DHA-rich foods include:
Sea fish: Fish that live in the ocean such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardines, ... are an ideal source of DHA for the intelligent development of little. However, pregnant women should only eat sea fish in moderation (300 grams/week) to avoid the risk of mercury and heavy metal poisoning. Egg Yolk: This is also a good source of DHA. However, the egg yolk only really plays its role when it has been completely cooked, so don't eat eggs in the form of peaches or beaten eggs. Cereals: Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, etc., processed as a daily snack for pregnant mothers, are also rich in DHA, good for the baby's brain and vision. Cereals are one of the foods rich in DHA. Green vegetables: Vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, pumpkin, kale, watercress, ... are also rich in DHA and fiber to help pregnant mothers diversify their daily meals.
In addition, the source of DHA is also found in special milk for pregnant women supplemented with good DHA content for the development of the fetus. In addition, pregnant women can also choose functional foods including DHA and many other multivitamins only for pregnant women with appropriate DHA content. However, before using these supplements, pregnant women need to consult a nutritionist for specific advice on the need to use and the level of DHA deficiency in their daily meals. day.
In short, DHA is very good for the health of mother and baby. During pregnancy, the mother's body will need a large amount of DHA to adapt to the baby's brain development, especially in the second and second trimesters.

Reference source: National Institute of Nutrition