Study suggests eating fish can reduce premature birth risk

A new study has found out that consuming fish or taking any fish oil supplement may cut down the risk of preterm birth among pregnant women with low level of omega-3 fatty acids. “The findings indicate that pregnant women who have low plasma levels of long-chain n-3 fatty acids found in fish oil in their first and second trimesters were at a significantly higher risk of preterm birth as compared with women who had higher levels of these fatty acids.”


Author Sjurdur F. Olsen said, “At a time when many pregnant women are hearing messages, encouraging them to avoid intake of fish altogether due to mercury content, our results support the importance of ensuring adequate intake of long chain omega-3 fatty acids in pregnancy. Women in the second lowest quintile had 2.7 times higher risk compared with women in the three highest quintiles.”


According to the study, the research team examined 96,000 children in Denmark through questionnaires and registry linkages. They also analysed blood samples from 376 women who gave premature birth (prior to 34 weeks of gestation) between 1996 and 2003 and 348 women who had a full-term birth.”