Fish Oil Supplementation in Pregnancy Increases Gestational Age, Size for Gestational Age, and Birth Weight in Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Rebecca Kofod Vinding; Jakob Stokholm; Astrid Sevelsted; Bo L Chawes; Klaus Bønnelykke; Malin Barman; Bo Jacobsson; Hans Bisgaard

doi:10.1093/jn/nxy204

Fish Oil Supplementation in Pregnancy Increases Gestational Age, Size for Gestational Age, and Birth Weight in Infants: A Randomized Controlled Trial

J Nutr. 2019 Apr 1;149(4):628-634. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxy204.

Authors

Rebecca Kofod Vinding^{1

2}, Jakob Stokholm^{1

2}, Astrid Sevelsted¹, Bo L Chawes¹, Klaus Bønnelykke¹, Malin Barman^{3

4}, Bo Jacobsson^{4

5}, Hans Bisgaard¹

Affiliations

¹ COPSAC, Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
² Department of Pediatrics, Naestved Hospital, Naestved, Denmark.
³ Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden.
⁴ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden.
⁵ Department of Genetics and Bioinformatics, Domain of Health data and Digitalization, Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway.

PMID: 30418579
DOI: 10.1093/jn/nxy204

Abstract

Background: Randomized trials have reported that supplementation with n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in pregnancy can prolong pregnancy and thereby increase birth weight.

Objective: We aimed to examine the relations of n-3 LCPUFA supplementation in pregnancy with duration of pregnancy, birth weight, and size for gestational age (GA).

Methods: This was a double-blind randomized controlled trial conducted in 736 pregnant women and their offspring, from the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood2010cohort. They were recruited between weeks 22 and 26 in pregnancy and randomly assigned to either of 2.4 g n-3 LCPUFA or control (olive oil) daily until 1 wk after birth. Exclusion criteria were endocrine, cardiovascular, or nephrologic disorders and vitamin D supplementation intake >600 IU/d. In this study we analyzed secondary outcomes, and further excluded twin pregnancies and extrauterine death. The primary outcome for the trial was persistent wheeze or asthma.

Results: The random assignment ran between 2008 and 2010. Six hundred and ninety-nine mother-infant pairs were included in the analysis. n-3 LCPUFA compared with control was associated with a 2-d prolongation of pregnancy [median (IQR): 282 (275-288) d compared with 280 (273-286) d, P = 0.02], a 97-g higher birth weight (mean ± SD: 3601 ± 534 g compared with 3504 ± 528 g, P = 0.02), and an increased size for GA according to the Norwegian population-based growth curves-Skjærven (mean ± SD: 49.9 ± 28.3 percentiles compared with 44.5 ± 27.6 percentiles, P = 0.01).

Conclusion: Supplementing pregnant women with n-3 LCPUFAs during the third trimester is associated with prolonged gestation and increased size for GA, leading to a higher birth weight in this randomized controlled trial. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00798226.

Keywords: birth weight; cohort studies; fatty acids; fish oil; gestational age; micro nutrition supplementation; n–3 LCPUFA; size for gestational age; ω-3 fatty acids.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Birth Weight / drug effects*
Dietary Supplements*
Double-Blind Method
Female
Fetal Development / drug effects*
Fish Oils / administration & dosage*
Gestational Age*
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Male
Pregnancy
Seasons

Substances

Fish Oils

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00798226