Depression during pregnancy can be harmful to both mother and baby, so the results of a new study of 10,000 British women could be significant. The study concludes that eating omega 3-rich seafood can substantially reduce the risk of depression.
A questionnaire given to women who were 32 weeks pregnant included questions about their mood and their diet. Women who had eaten more than 1.5 grams of omega 3 fatty acid each week – equivalent to 3 or more portions of seafood – were found to have around 50 percent less incidence of depressive symptoms compared to women who had eaten no fish during their pregnancy.Thirty two weeks into their pregnancies, the women were given a questionnaire that included questions on their mood and what they had eaten during pregnancy. Researchers found that those women who had regularly eaten at least 1.5 grams of omega 3 fatty acid each week (equivalent to 3 portions of seafood) during their pregnancy were around 50 percent less likely to experience symptoms of depression compared to those women who had eaten no seafood.
Although common in Western countries, depression is very rare in countries where people eat a lot of fish; for example Japan.
Prior to the publication of the study, the recommendation was for women to limit the amount of fish eaten during pregnancy because of the mercury content. However, the researchers are now calling for a reappraisal of this advice in the light of the obvious benefit of eating omega 3 fatty acids which are predominately found in seafood.
Omega 3 is available in capsule form. On the face of it this would seem to get around the problem of the mercury; however, omega 3 is extracted from oily fish so you should seek out brands that have deliberately used fish from areas of the sea that have the lowest mercury levels.
