Maternal fish intake helps fetal brain development

10/12/2005 - Mothers that eat fish are likely to boost the brainpower of their babies, shows new research.

In a study of 135 mothers and their infants, researchers at Harvard Medical School found that the greater a woman's fish and omega-3 fatty acid intake during the second trimester, the better her child performed on a standard test of mental development at six months. However, when mothers had high mercury levels from consuming fish meat, their babies tended to have poorer test scores. Suggesting that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids from supplements may be more beneficial to obtain the necessary DHA and EPA omega-3s needed during pregnancy.

The findings underscore the need to avoid consuming fish meat with high mercury levels. Writing in this month's issue of Environmental Health Perspectives (vol. 113, no 10), the researchers say that "women should continue to eat fish during pregnancy but choose varieties with lower mercury contamination".

The study gathered data on maternal fish intake during pregnancy and tested for mercury levels in hair samples acquired around the time of delivery.

Infant cognition was evaluated by visual recognition memory (VRM) testing at six months of age.

After adjustment for hair mercury level, each additional weekly fish serving was associated with a four point increase in VRM score, said the researchers.
However, an increase of 1ppm in mercury was associated with a decrement in VRM score of 7.5 points.

VRM scores were highest among infants of women who consumed more than two weekly fish servings but had mercury levels of 1.2 ppm or less.
Other studies have already underlined the benefits of fish, as well as one of its key nutrients - omega-3 fatty acids - on the mental development of children.

In a study reported last year, women who ate fish regularly during pregnancy had children with better language and communication skills by the age of 18 months.

Further studies have looked at how raising intake of DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, in the maternal diet can improve a baby's learning. Many of these studies suggest to obtain omega-3 fatty acids from supplements and limiting or avoiding fish meat all together during pregnancy.

The new findings also show that not all fish meals can offer the same omega-3 benefits. Varieties that are less likely to be contaminated with mercury such as light tuna or salmon may be better for infants' brains than swordfish or albacore tuna that is more often contaminated with heavy metals and/or pesticides.

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