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REVIEW article

Front. Nutr.
Sec. Nutritional Epidemiology
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1502866
This article is part of the Research Topic The First 1000 Days: Window of Opportunity for Child Health and Development View all 8 articles

Omega-3 LC-PUFA consumption is now recommended for women of childbearing age and during pregnancy to protect against preterm and early preterm birth: implementing this recommendation in a sustainable manner

Provisionally accepted
Ella J Baker Ella J Baker 1Philip Calder Philip Calder 1Alex J Kermack Alex J Kermack 2Jonathan Edward Brown Jonathan Edward Brown 3Moriam Mustapha Moriam Mustapha 4Ellen Kitson-Reynolds Ellen Kitson-Reynolds 1Jo J Garvey Jo J Garvey 5*
  • 1 University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
  • 2 University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, United Kingdom
  • 3 University of Surrey, Guildford, South East England, United Kingdom
  • 4 Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, London, United Kingdom
  • 5 Garvey Consulting, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Preterm birth (delivery prior to 37 weeks) appears to be rising globally, increasing the risk of a myriad of down-stream disorders which affect families, their offspring and society, including increased morbidity, mortality and economic costs. Strategies for prevention of preterm birth have therefore become a priority amongst healthcare providers. One proposed strategy is increased consumption of Omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), particularly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) (from food or supplements) in women of childbearing age and during pregnancy. It is hypothesised that Omega-3 LC-PUFAs, through several different actions, reduce the risk of early onset labor or lengthen gestation. An expert group, acting on behalf of several relevant organisations, recently published guidance based on compelling trial evidence for increased Omega-3 LC-PUFA intake to protect women of childbearing age and during pregnancy from preterm birth (PTB) and early preterm birth (ePTB). Here, we consider how this guidance can be achieved in a sustainable manner. We present data on suitable, efficacious alternatives to fish as a source of Omega-3 LC-PUFAs, so that while aiming to protect families and society against PTB and ePTB there is no increased burden on other species on our vulnerable planet. Finally, how the guidance can be implemented in practice is discussed, with consideration for those most at risk and effective ways of communicating this important message.

    Keywords: Omega 3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids, Pregnanacy, preterm (birth), Sustainable omega 3s, Maternal health

    Received: 27 Sep 2024; Accepted: 06 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Baker, Calder, Kermack, Brown, Mustapha, Kitson-Reynolds and Garvey. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Jo J Garvey, Garvey Consulting, Amsterdam, Netherlands

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.