Is it Safe to Take Omega 3 During Pregnancy?

Is it Safe to Take Omega 3 During Pregnancy?

Healthy fats such as Omega 3 are the powerhouse for every cell in your body and your baby’s too. It is especially good for brain development because over 60% of the brain is made up of fat and a good supply of healthy fats is crucial for optimum development. It is also important to build up stores for breastfeeding and your recovery post birth.

Supplementation of Omega 3 during pregnancy is safe as long as you bear in mind the quality, the form and dosage this is taken in. It is a common supplement to take, especially when mums-to-be are trying to reduce the amount of fish they are eating. 

Here are 3 things to consider when looking for good quality fish oil supplements:

1. What part of the fish has the fish oil come from?

There is a general confusion concerning the difference between fish oil and cod liver oil. Fish oil is obtained from the liver of the fish, therefore cod liver oil is not advised during pregnancy due to the vitamin A content. Make sure you are using an omega 3 fish oil that is extracted from the body of the fish (not the liver). 

Our Pure Strength Omega 3 fish oil is safe during pregnancy because it contains no vitamin A and the oil is extracted only from the body of the fish.

2. How 'clean' is the fish oil?

Some fish oils contain heavy metals such as mercury or other chemical contaminants. Women are advised not to eat certain large fish during pregnancy or eat fish excessively for this reason. By choosing a very clean fish oil you can be assured that you and your baby are not ingesting any contaminants. 

3. How much fish should you eat vs how much Omega 3 supplements you should take?

NHS guidelines recommend eating two portions of fish a week. One of which should be oily fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, trout and herring. However, when pregnant, you should avoid having more than two portions of oily fish a week. This is because it can contain pollutants (toxins). When you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, you should not eat shark, swordfish or marlin. Therefore, you can only increase beneficial omega 3 in supplement form, rather than eating more fish.

Omega 3 in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

In pregnancy and when breastfeeding, you can safely eat two portions of oily fish per week as well as taking a fish oil supplement. 

Keeping omega 3 levels topped up is important at any stage, but in the third trimester of pregnancy, the baby will draw upon the mother’s own Omega 3 stores more than at any other time. At this point Omega 3 is vital to help support baby’s brain, eye and nervous system development.  This is why Omega 3 levels should be built-up before this time, in preparation for this ‘pull’ on reserves.

For more on nutritional health during pregnancy, discover Henrietta's 'Your Pregnancy Nutrition Guide' or visit our pregnancy blog hub

Blogs you may like: Guides to the  first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester.

For more on your nutritional health during pregnancy, discover Henrietta's 'Your pregnancy nutrition guide' or see '8 Ways to combat morning sickness'.