Supplementation of Fish-oil and Soy-oil During Pregnancy and Psychomotor Development of Infants

• Published in: Journal of health, population and nutrition Vol. 24; no. 1; pp. 48 - 56
• Main Authors: Tofail, Fahmida, Kabir, Iqbal, Hamadani, Jena D, Chowdhury, Fahima, Yesmin, Sakila, Mehreen, Fardina, Huda, Syed N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bangladesh ICDDR,B: Centre for Health and Population Research 01.03.2006; BioMed Central Ltd; BioMed Central
• Subjects: Adult; Bangladesh; Behavior; Body mass index; Capsules; Child; Child development; Child Development - drug effects; Child Development - physiology; Dietary Fats, Unsaturated - administration & dosage; Dietary Supplements; Essential fatty acids; Fatty acids; Female; Fish Oils; Fish-oil; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Infant; Infant development; Infant, Newborn; Infants; Male; Mothers; Omega 6 fatty acids; Omega-3 fatty acids; Pregnancy; Pregnant women; Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Psychomotor development; Psychomotor Performance - drug effects; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Soy-oil; Soybean Oil; Unsaturated fatty acids; Vegetable oils; Bangladesh
• ISSN: 1606-0997; 2072-1315

Supplementation of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in infancy improves neuro-developmental outcomes, but there is limited information about the impact of supplementing pregnant mothers with DHA on the development of their infants. In a follow-up of a randomized, double-blind controlled trial with 400 pregnant mothers, the effects of supplementation of fish-oil or soy-oil (4 g/day) during the last trimester of pregnancy on psychomotor development and behaviour of infants at 10 months of age (n=249) were assessed. The quality of psychosocial stimulation at home (HOME) and nutritional status of the subjects were also measured. There were no significant differences in the fish-oil group and soy-oil group in any of the developmental (mean±SD mental development index: 102.5±8.0 vs 101.5±7.8, psychomotor development index: 101.7±10.0 vs 100.5±10.1) or behavioural outcomes. It may, therefore, be concluded that supplementation of fish-oil during the last trimester of pregnancy does not have any added benefit over supplementation of soy-oil on the development or behaviour of infants in this population.