Positive Health Online

Abstract

OLSEN and SECHER, Maternal Nutrition Group, Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, Statens Serum Instutut, Artillerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark, sfo@ssi.dk, explored whether low intake of fish in pregnant women was related to the occurrence of premature birth.

Background

Methodology

8,729 pregnant women were involved in a prospective study in Aarhus, Denmark. The women’s dietary habits during pregnancy, particularly in relation to their consumption of seafood, were documented. From these data, the women were divided into 4 broad groups: 1) no fish consumption; 2) low fish consumption; 3) medium fish consumption; 4) high fish consumption (consuming fish as a hot meal and an open sandwich with fish at least once a week). Outcome measures of the study were the occurrence of preterm delivery and low birth weight.

Results

The occurrence of premature birth differed significantly across the 4 groups of women, ranging from 7.1% in the no fish consumption group to 1.9% in the high consumption group. In the zero fish consumption group, the adjusted odds for having a premature birth were increased 3.6-fold in comparison with the high consumption group. The dose-response relationship (quantified maternal fish intake: occurrence of premature birth) was calculated to operate in the range from zero intake up to an intake of 15 g of fish or 0.15 g n-3 fatty acids daily. Risk estimates for low birth weight were similar to those for premature birth.

Conclusion

Women who consume little or no fish (or n-3 fatty acids from other sources) are at increased risk of having a premature birth and a low birth weight baby. In such women, dietary supplementation with small amounts of n-3 fatty acids – as fish or fish oil – may help protect them against these risks.

References

Olsen SF, Secher NJ. Low consumption of seafood in early pregnancy as a risk factor for preterm delivery: prospective cohort study. British Medical Journal 324 (7335): 447. Feb 2002.