New Zealand women have suboptimal intakes of long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids during pregnancy—a cross sectional study
Michele Eickstaedt, Kathryn L Beck, Cathryn A Conlon
Adequate dietary intakes of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) such as omega 3 and omega 6 are required during pregnancy to support both the mother and growing baby. An important omega 3 fatty is docasahexaenoic acid (DHA). DHA is mainly found in fish and seafood, however women may restrict their intake of fish and seafood during pregnancy due to concerns regarding food safety and foetotoxic effects of environmental contaminants such as mercury. Most of the 500-plus women in their third trimester of pregnancy who completed an online food frequency questionnaire had low intakes of omega 3 fatty acids including DHA during pregnancy. Women who are currently pregnant or planning to become pregnant should aim to eat a variety of foods from the four food groups every day, including cooked fish. There is little concern with canned tuna, canned salmon, mackerel or sardines, farmed salmon, terakihi, blue cod, hoki, john dory, monkfish, warehou, whitebait and flat fish like flounder, as the mercury levels in these fish are seen as low risk.