If you’re at all unsure about which supplement to take, ask your midwife or pharmacist for advice. If you don’t want to eat fish oil, but would like to take an omega-3 supplement, you can buy supplements derived from algae. About 450mg EPA and DHA a day is equal to eating one or two portions of oily fish a week. These are the two beneficial long-chain omega-3 fats found in oily fish. If you don’t eat fish, and decide to take a fish oil supplement, make sure that the supplement you take is suitable for pregnant women.Īvoid high-dose supplements and check how much DHA and EPA they contain. One or two portions of oily fish a week will benefit you and your developing baby but won’t cause harm from the pollutants in the fish. There’s some evidence that they may affect your unborn baby’s development. Oily fish can also contain environmental pollutants, such as dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).ĭioxins and PCBs can build up in your body over a long period of time. Some foods made with white fish have extra omega-3 added.Īlthough oily fish is good for you, don’t have more than two portions a week while you’re pregnant. And white fish, such as cod and haddock, contain some omega-3, but in lower amounts. Fresh tuna also counts as an oily fish, but tinned tuna doesn’t, as the canning process depletes the oils.Ĭrab and prawns contain reasonable amounts of omega-3 fats. Some research has shown that in countries where pregnant women tend to eat more fish, fewer develop pre-eclampsia, or have a baby who is premature, or a low birth weight.įish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids include mackerel, salmon, trout, kippers, anchovies, sardines pilchards, herring and whitebait. Some research suggests that babies born to women taking omega-3 long-chain fatty acids weigh a little more and are less likely to be born early, but more research needs to be carried out to be sure.įind out what vitamin supplements you do need when you’re pregnant More pregnancy videos There’s no official recommendation that pregnant women should take a fish oil supplement. You shouldn’t take supplements containing the retinol form of vitamin A when you’re pregnant, because large amounts of retinol can harm your baby. However, cod liver oil also contains high levels of the retinol form of vitamin A. In the long-term, they may also help to protect you against heart disease. Supplements made from the liver of fish, such as cod liver oil, are not safe to take in pregnancy.īoth types of fish oil supplements contain beneficial long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, which help your baby’s brain and eyes to develop.However, you need to check that nothing else has been added to the supplement.
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