Dietary Patterns, n-3 Fatty Acids Intake from Seafood and High Levels of Anxiety Symptoms during Pregnancy: Findings from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (original) (raw)
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American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2009
Background: Mothers may be reluctant to receive medical treatment of postpartum depression (PPD), despite the detrimental consequences the disorder can impose on mother and child. Research on alternative methods of prevention and treatment of PPD is warranted. Previous studies have suggested that long-chain n23 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) might have a beneficial effect on depression. Objective: The objective was to explore the association between intake of fish and n23 PUFAs during pregnancy and PPD in the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC). Design: Exposure information from the DNBC was linked to the Danish patient and prescription registries for data on clinically identified cases of depression up to 1 y postpartum. Intake of fish and n23 PUFAs was assessed in midpregnancy with a food-frequency questionnaire. Admission to the hospital for PPD (PPD-admission) and prescription of antidepressants (PPD-prescription) were treated as separate outcomes. A total of 54,202 women were included in the present study sample. Results: Rates of depression were 0.3% (PPD-admission) and 1.6% (PPD-prescription). No association was observed between fish intake and risk of PPD-admission [crude odds ratio of 1.01 (95% CI: 0.52, 1.97) and adjusted odds ratio of 0.82 (95% CI: 0.42, 1.64)], whereas a higher risk of PPD-prescription was found for the lowest compared with the highest fish intake group [crude odds ratio of 1.61 (95% CI: 1.26, 2.06) and adjusted odds ratio of 1.46 (95% CI: 1.12, 1.90)]. No association was observed with respect to n23 PUFA intake. Conclusion: Overall, our data from a large prospective cohort linked with high-quality registers showed little evidence to support an association between intake of fish or n23 PUFAs and PPD.
High Levels of Depressive Symptoms in Pregnancy With Low Omega-3 Fatty Acid Intake From Fish
Epidemiology, 2009
Background: Depression during pregnancy has adverse consequences for both mother and child. Although common in western countries, depression appears to be virtually absent in countries with high seafood intake. We test the hypothesis that low seafood intake during pregnancy is associated with increased prevalence of depressive symptoms. Methods: This study used data prospectively collected from women participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children in the period 1991-1992. At 32 weeks' gestation, the mother completed a questionnaire that included symptoms of depression and a food frequency questionnaire from which the amount of omega-3 fatty acids from fish was calculated. Statistical analysis took social and lifestyle factors into account. Results: Unadjusted and adjusted analyses showed lower maternal intake of omega-3 from seafood was associated with high levels of depressive symptoms. Compared with women consuming more than 1.5 g omega-3 from seafood per week, those consuming none were more likely to have high levels of depressive symptoms at 32 weeks' gestation (adjusted odds ratios ϭ 1.54; 95% confidence interval ϭ 1.25-1.89). Conclusions: These observational data support an association between low omega-3 intake from seafood and increased risk of high levels of depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Eating seafood during pregnancy may have beneficial effects on mental well-being.
Journal of psychiatric research, 2017
The results of several epidemiological studies and clinical trials investigating the effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on antenatal and postnatal depression remain controversial. We investigated the possible association of dietary intake of fish and n-3 PUFAs with the risks of maternal and paternal psychological distress during pregnancy and of maternal postpartum depression in Japan. From a dataset comprising 104,102 maternal registrations and 52,426 paternal registrations in The Japan Environment and Children's Study, this study analyzed complete data on questionnaires for 75,139, 79,346, and 77,661 women during early pregnancy, mid-late pregnancy, and after pregnancy, respectively, and for 41,506 male partners. Multivariable logistic regression showed reduced risk of psychological distress in the second and third quintiles for fish intake in early pregnancy and in the second to fifth quintile in mid-late pregnancy. No reductions were observed for n-3 PUFA int...
Food & nutrition research, 2014
Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids found in seafood are essential for optimal neurodevelopment of the fetus. However, concerns about mercury contamination of seafood and its potential harm to the developing fetus have created uncertainty about seafood consumption for pregnant women. We compared fish and shellfish consumption patterns, as well as their predictors, among pregnant and non-pregnant women of childbearing age in the US. Data from 1,260 pregnant and 5,848 non-pregnant women aged 16-49 years from the 1999 to 2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed. Frequency and type of seafood consumed and adjusted associations of multiple characteristics with seafood consumption were estimated for pregnant and non-pregnant women, separately. Time trends were also examined. There were no significant differences in the prevalence of fish or shellfish consumption, separately or combined, between pregnant and non-pregnant women using either the 30-day ...
Nutrients, 2018
Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are essential for neurodevelopment and the developing foetus depends on an optimal maternal status. Fish is a rich source of PUFA. The current study investigated dietary patterns, and associations with PUFA status in a high-fish consuming cohort of pregnant women in the Seychelles. At 28 weeks' gestation, pregnant women provided a blood sample, from which serum total PUFA concentrations were measured, A Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) and Fish Use Questionnaire (FUQ) were also completed. Principal component analysis (PCA) of dietary information identified four patterns. Regression analyses found dietary pattern 2, containing foods traditionally eaten in the Seychelles e.g., fish, fruit and vegetables was positively associated with serum docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (β = 0.134; CI = 0.001, 0.022), and serum total -3 PUFA (β = 0.139; CI = 0.001, 0.023) concentrations. Dietary pattern 1, high in processed foods, snacks, white meat and eggs, was n...
American journal of epidemiology, 2016
Seafood consumption during pregnancy is thought to be beneficial for child neuropsychological development, but to our knowledge no large cohort studies with high fatty fish consumption have analyzed the association by seafood subtype. We evaluated 1,892 and 1,589 mother-child pairs at the ages of 14 months and 5 years, respectively, in a population-based Spanish birth cohort established during 2004-2008. Bayley and McCarthy scales and the Childhood Asperger Syndrome Test were used to assess neuropsychological development. Results from multivariate linear regression models were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and further adjusted for umbilical cord blood mercury or long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations. Overall, consumption of seafood above the recommended limit of 340 g/week was associated with 10-g/week increments in neuropsychological scores. By subtype, in addition to lean fish, consumption of large fatty fish showed a positive association; offspring ...
BMC pregnancy and childbirth, 2017
Preterm delivery increases the risk of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Studies suggest that maternal diet may affect the prevalence of preterm delivery. The aim of this study was to assess whether maternal intakes of seafood and marine long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn-3PUFA) from supplements were associated with preterm delivery. The study population included 67,007 women from the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. Maternal food and supplement intakes were assessed by a validated self-reported food frequency questionnaire in mid-pregnancy. Information about gestational duration was obtained from the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations between total seafood, lean fish, fatty fish, and LCn-3PUFA intakes and preterm delivery. Preterm was defined as any onset of delivery before gestational week 37, and as spontaneous or iatrogenic deliveries and as preterm deliv...
Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 2019
Abundant data are now available to evaluate relationships between seafood consumption in pregnancy and childhood and neurocognitive development. We conducted two systematic reviews utilizing methodologies detailed by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Scientific Advisory Committee 2020-2025. After reviewing 44 publications on 106,237 mother-offspring pairs and 25,960 children, our technical expert committee developed two conclusion statements that included the following: "Moderate and consistent evidence indicates that consumption of a wide range of amounts and types of commercially available seafood during pregnancy is associated with improved neurocognitive development of offspring as compared to eating no seafood. Overall, benefits to neurocognitive development began at the lowest amounts of seafood consumed (∼4 oz/wk) and continued through the highest amounts, above 12 oz/wk, some range up to > 100 oz/wk.", "This evidence does not meet the criteria for "strong evidence" only due to a paucity of randomized controlled trials that may not be ethical or feasible to conduct for pregnancy" and "Moderate and consistent evidence indicates that consumption of > 4 oz/wk and likely > 12 oz/wk of seafood during childhood has beneficial associations with neurocognitive outcomes." No net adverse neurocognitive outcomes were reported among offspring at the highest ranges of seafood intakes despite associated increases in mercury exposures. Data are insufficient for conclusive statements regarding lactation, optimal amounts, categories or specific species characterized by mercury content and neurocognitive development; although there is some evidence that dark/oily seafood may be more beneficial. Research was conducted in healthy women and children and is generalizable to US populations. Assessment of seafood as a whole food integrates inherently integrates any adverse effects from neurotoxicants, if any, and benefits to neurocognition from omega-3 fats, as well as other nutrients critical to optimal neurological development. Understanding of the effects of seafood consumption on neurocognition can have significant public health implications. rich source of key nutrients that are biologically essential for optimal fetal and child neurodevelopment including iodine, vitamin B 12 , iron, vitamin D, zinc, manganese and highly unsaturated omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids [1]. Women are more likely to the achieve optimal intakes of these nutrients when consuming seafood in pregnancy [2].
Low consumption of seafood in early pregnancy as a risk factor for preterm delivery …
British Medical Journal
Objective To determine the relation between intake of seafood in pregnancy and risk of preterm delivery and low birth weight. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Aarhus, Denmark. Participants 8729 pregnant women. Main outcome measures Preterm delivery and low birth weight. Results The occurrence of preterm delivery differed significantly across four groups of seafood intake, falling progressively from 7.1% in the group never consuming fish to 1.9% in the group consuming fish as a hot meal and an open sandwich with fish at least once a week. Adjusted odds for preterm delivery were increased by a factor of 3.6 (95% confidence interval 1.2 to 11.2) in the zero consumption group compared with the highest consumption group. Analyses based on quantified intakes indicated that the working range of the dose-response relation is mainly from zero intake up to a daily intake of 15 g fish or 0.15 g n-3 fatty acids. Estimates of risk for low birth weight were similar to those for preterm delivery. Conclusions Low consumption of fish was a strong risk factor for preterm delivery and low birth weight. In women with zero or low intake of fish, small amounts of n-3 fatty acids-provided as fish or fish oil-may confer protection against preterm delivery and low birth weight.