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A randomized controlled trial of the effect of fish oil supplementation in late pregnancy and early lactation on the n−3 fatty acid content in human breast milk

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Lipids

Abstract

The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of fish oil supplementation, in the third trimester of pregnancy and early lactation period of healthy pregnant Danish women. Forty-four pregnant women were randomly allocated to fish oil supplementation (1.3 g EPA and 0.9 g DHA per day) from week 30 of gestation (FO-group) or to a control regimen (olive oil or no oil; controls). The FO-group was randomly subdivided into women stopping fish oil supplementation at delivery [FO(pregn)], and women continuing supplementation for an, additional 30 d [FO(pregn/lact)]. Thirty-six women agreed to collect milk samples at days 4, 16, and 30 postpartum. The FA composition of the milk samples was determined by GLC. At days 4, 16, and 30 in lactation, FO(pregn/lact) women (n=12) had, respectively 2.3 (P=0.001), 4.1 (P=0.001), and 3.3 (P=0.001) times higher mean contents of LCPUFA(n−3) in their breast milk compared with controls (n=13), and 1.7 (P=0.005), 2.8 (P=0.001), and 2.8 (P=0.001), times higher LCPUFA(n−3) contents, respectively, at these days compared with FO(pregn) women (n=11). The latter group did not differ significantly from controls with regard to LCPUFA(n−3) content in the breast milk. Similar results were obtained when analyzing separately for effects on the milk content of DHA. Dietary supplementation with 2.7 g LCPUFA(n−3) per day from week 30 of gestation and onward more than tripled the LCPUFA(n−3) content in early breast milk; supplementation limited to pregnancy only was much less effective.

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Abbreviations

control-1:

olive oil supplemented during pregnancy

control-2:

women receiving no oil capsules

controls:

control-1 and control-2 combined

DHA:

docosahexaenoic acid (22∶6n−3)

DPA:

docosapentaenoic acid (22∶5n−3)

EPA:

eicosapentaenoic acid (20∶5n−3)

FO(pregn):

fish oil supplemented during pregnancy only

FO(pregn/lact):

fish oil supplemented during both pregnancy and lactation

FO-group:

fish oil supplemented from week 30 of gestation

LCPUFA(n−3):

long-chain n−3 PUFA

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Peripatal Epidemiologic Research Unit, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Aarhus University Hospital, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark

    Jane Boris & Jannie Dalby Salvig

  2. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Danish Institute for Fisheries Research, Department of Seafood Research, Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800, Lyngby, Denmark

    Benny Jensen

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Hvidovre University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Niels J. Secher

  4. Maternal Nutrition Group, Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, Statens Serum Institut, 5 Artillerivej, DK-2300, Copenhagen S, Denmark

    Sjúrdur F. Olsen

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  1. Jane Boris
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  2. Benny Jensen
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  3. Jannie Dalby Salvig
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  5. Sjúrdur F. Olsen
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Correspondence to Sjúrdur F. Olsen.

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Boris, J., Jensen, B., Salvig, J.D. et al. A randomized controlled trial of the effect of fish oil supplementation in late pregnancy and early lactation on the n−3 fatty acid content in human breast milk. Lipids 39, 1191–1196 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-004-1347-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-004-1347-7

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