Is it safe to take omega 3 fish oil supplements during pregnancy?
It is safe to take fish oil supplements that are high-quality containing the purest form of fish oil containing the least contaminants. Most doctors would recommend you take a mercury-safe fish oil supplement rather than eating too much seafood which contains contaminants. DHA is required for fetal brain and retina development and is particularly important during the third trimester. Taking safe supplements like Blue Vera that are known to be safe, will give you the right dose of EPA and DHA along with other nutrients like Vitamin D. You still want to eat seafood limit it to 6-ounce, low-mercury seafood servings a week.
Yes and no. There are two types of fish oil supplement – those made from the liver of the fish and those made from the body of the fish. Supplements made from the liver of the fish, such as cod liver oil, contain the retinol form of vitamin A and need to be avoided altogether during pregnancy. However, fish oils not derived from fish livers contain lots of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), an omega-3 essential fatty acid which is essential for your baby’s developing eyes and brain. At present, there is no recommended daily intake of DHA, although this is currently being researched. If you eat a varied range of foods, including some oily fish, you may not need to supplement your diet, as you’ll be getting plenty of DHA, along with other nutrients which you wouldn’t get from taking supplements alone. DHA can also be found in lesser amounts in other foods, such as walnuts, flaxseed, rapeseed. However, there is some doubt as to whether DHA from these vegetable sources has the same benefits as th
