Omega-3 Fatty Acids During Pregnancy May Cut Risk of Baby’s Asthma

The supplement, derived from fish oil, could also reduce risk of lower respiratory tract infections in children.

(Photo: iStock)

Cases of childhood asthma or respiratory conditions are on the rise, given how polluted our cities are. But holler new moms, there’s good news still!

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that consuming certain kinds of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy could slash the risk of childhood asthma by a third.

The study finds that pregnant women who were prescribed 2.4 grams of omega-3 fatty acid supplements during their third trimester reduced the baby’s risk of asthma by 31 percent.

The supplement, derived from fish oil, also reportedly reduced the risk of lower respiratory tract infections in children.

Also Read: ‘The Struggle is Real’: Actor Puts Focus on Postpartum Depression

Link Between Carbs, Red Meat and Childhood Asthma

The researchers suspect that people who indulge in a carbohydrate and red meat-heavy diet are deficient in omega-3, which could in turn cause the respiratory condition.

The study found that the experiment was most successful with women who began the trial with low levels of omega-3 fatty acids. The relative risk of their children developing asthma was reduced by 54 percent, the journal said.

The Trial

At around six months of pregnancy and a week after the birth, blood samples of 695 Danish women were tested. The health of each of the children was monitored till the age of five, usually when asthma symptoms are clinically established.

(With inputs from ANI, Scroll)