Study shows early preterm births can be decreased with DHA supplementation
This study is a potential game changer for obstetricians and their patients - the dramatic decrease in early preterm birth with DHA supplementation will improve short- and long -term outcomes for children.
FAB RESEARCH COMMENT:
In 2018, a systematic review from the Cochrane Collaboration - considered the highest level of scientific evidence for informing medical and public health practice - found that supplementation of mothers in pregnancy with the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids found in fish and seafood (EPA and DHA) reduces rates of pre-term birth. See:However, without supplementation, the dietary DHA intakes of most women before and during pregnancy fall well short of the amount needed to support both the mother's health and wellbeing, and normal brain development of the unborn child.
The authors did acknowledge that further trials would, however, be helpful to investigate issues such as the optimal dosage of omega-3 DHA needed - and whether the effects of omega-3 may vary between population subgroups.
This new clinical trial - from world-leading specialists in the field - has now provided evidence that dramatic reductions in pre-term birth can be achieved by DHA supplementation - including a halving of the rate of early pre-term birth (from 4.1 to 2%).
However, high doses (1000 mg/day of DHA) are needed to achieve these benefits for women who do not already eat fish and seafood, or use fortified foods or supplements, and yet standard pregancy supplements provide a daily dose of only 200 mg of DHA.
Early pre-term birth (i.e. before 34 weeks) is a major public health issue, as it results in the highest risks for infant mortaility and lifelong disabilities.
So as one of the authors makes clear:
"The dramatic decrease in early preterm birth with DHA supplementation will improve short- and long -term outcomes for children, families and society in a cost-effective fashion."
Cost-benefit analyses using data from previous clinical trials in both Australia and the US have already shown that supplementing all pregnant mothers with omega-3 DHA would save money - even in the very short-term, just by reducing the immediate hospital costs associated with maternity and neonatal care. See:
Becaause pre-term birth is a such a major cause of lifelong disabilities - both physical and mental - the practical significance of these findings for policymakers worldwide is simply huge - as would be the benefits for individuals, families and wider society of ensuring adequate intakes of omega-3 DHA in pregnancy.
The lead author flags clearly what needs to be done - namely that this information should be widely shared with women who are pregnant and those planning to become pregnant.
But very importantly, this vital nutrient can also be provided via supplements and/or fortified foods, including sources suitable for vegans and vegetarians, who are at particularly high risk of DHA deficiency unless they use these).
For more details of this new research, please see:
And for further information on this topic please see:
See also the following lists of articles on this subject, which are regularly updated:
--------------------------------
Early preterm births may be dramatically decreased with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplements, with a dose of 1000 mg more effective for pregnant women with low DHA levels than the 200 mg found in some prenatal supplements, according to a study led by researchers from the University of Kansas and the University of Cincinnati and published today in EClinicalMedicine, a clinical journal of The Lancet.
Early preterm birth, defined as birth before 34 weeks gestation, is a serious public health issue because these births result in the highest risk of infant mortality and child disability.
"This study tells us that pregnant women should be taking DHA," said Susan E. Carlson, Ph.D., professor of nutrition in the Department of Dietetics and Nutrition in the KU School of Health Professions, co-principal investigator and first author on the study.
"And many would benefit from a higher amount than in some prenatal supplements, particularly if they are not already taking a prenatal vitamin with at least 200 mg DHA or eating seafood or eggs regularly," Carlson said.
"Many pregnant women take DHA, but we wanted to see if the amount in most prenatal supplements was enough to prevent early preterm birth."
Overall, women who received the higher dose had fewer early preterm birth, however, participants with low DHA levels at enrollment had half the rate of early preterm birth (2.0% compared to 4.1%) when they were given a supplement of 1000 mg compared with those given a 200 mg supplement during the last half of pregnancy.
For women who began the study with high DHA levels, many of whom were already taking prenatal DHA, the rate of early preterm birth was 1.3%, and there was no benefit of the higher dose.
"We knew from our previous work that women in the United States eat very little food sources of DHA, and we thought a higher dose might be needed to boost intake," said Christina J. Valentine, M.D., a neonatologist and registered dietitian at the University of Cincinnati and one of three principal investigators for the study.
Because preterm birth is associated with such negative outcomes and high health care costs, having an option for women to prevent preterm birth reliably and inexpensively is significant.
"This study is a potential game changer for obstetricians and their patients," said co-author Carl P. Weiner, M.D., professor of obstetrics and gynecology and professor of integrative and molecular physiology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine and professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy.
"The dramatic decrease in early preterm birth with DHA supplementation will improve short- and long -term outcomes for children, families and society in a cost-effective fashion."
Carlson notes that this information should be widely shared with women who are pregnant and those planning to become pregnant.
"Women should be consulting with their doctor and getting their DHA levels tested to ensure they are taking the proper dose to prevent preterm birth," she said.
The multi-center, double-blind, randomized, superiority trial recruited participants at three large academic medical centers in the United States (the University of Kansas Medical Center, Ohio State University and the University of Cincinnati).
The study used an innovative Bayesian response adaptive randomization design developed by Byron J Gajewski Ph.D., a professor in the department of Biostatistics & Data Science in the KU School of Medicine and one of three principal investigators on the study.
"The study design allowed us to preserve the rigor of the study while allowing us to more efficiently work to accomplish the study goals," he said. One example of that, Gajewski said, is that once one arm of the study showed more success, future enrollees were more likely to be placed into that arm.
"People enrolling the participants don't see behind the scenes, but the statisticians are able to use this technique to more efficiently get to the answers the study is seeking."
Food and Behaviour Research is a registered charity (No SC034604) and a company limited by guarantee (Co No SC 253448)
Newsletter Signup
Useful Links
Contact Us
FAB Research
23 Carlton Road
Oxford
OX2 7SA
Important Notice
Medical opinion and guidance should always be sought for any symptoms that might possibly reflect a known or suspected disease, disorder or medical condition. Information provided on this website (or by FAB Research via any other means) does not in any way constitute advice on the treatment of any medical condition formally diagnosed or otherwise.
Site by Redstone Websites. Easy to Use Web Content Management. 2026 © All Rights Reserved.