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Expert Q&A
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| By Alesia Hanson, RPh Registered Pharmacist | ||
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Is it safe to take fish oil supplements when pregnant?
Taking fish oil supplements while pregnant is safe depending on what you actually take; however, you should consult with your physician before taking any supplement. Cod liver oil is not generally recommended because it can contain high levels of retinal (vitamin A).
Some manufacturers make a fish oil supplement specifically for pregnancy. Various studies have shown that women taking fish oil supplements during pregnancy were less likely to give birth prematurely. Flaxseed oil can be used as an alternative; it also provides omega three fatty acids.
The omega three fatty acids in fish oil are important for brain development during infancy, but they are not certain that there is a benefit when taken during pregnancy. One study did suggest that children whose mothers took fish oil during pregnancy had higher IQs, but 40 percent of the children involved in the study did not have their intelligence tested and results for 75 percent of the measures of intelligence were not statistically significant.
For spinal development, the most important vitamin for preventing neural tube defects is folic acid, a B vitamin found in all prenatal vitamins."
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