Dietary Intake of DHA and EPA in a Group of Pregnant Women in the Moncton Area

Purpose: To compare docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and fish intake of pregnant women at 30 weeks of gestation to current recommendations and to determine the factors associated with omega-3 (omega-3) intake. Methods: A food frequency questionnaire was completed by 54 women (54/131 = 41%) at 30 +/- 0.8 weeks gestation. Supplement intake, sociodemographic characteristics, and omega-3 food habits were evaluated. Results: Among this high socioeconomic status (SES) group, 66.7% and 64.8% met the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of 200 mg/d DHA and 300 mg/d DHA + EPA, respectively, and only 48.1% met the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) recommendation of 500 mg/d DHA + EPA. Eighteen of the 54 women took a omega-3 supplement during the third trimester. This significantly improved their total intake to meet the FAO/WHO (88.9% = 200 mg/d DHA and 94.4% = 300 mg/d DHA + EPA) and the Academy (77.8% = 500 mg/d DHA + EPA) recommendations. Among nonsupplement users (36/54), 50% met the FAO/WHO recommendations and only 33.3% met the Academy recommendations. Conclusions: Results suggest that the majority of high SES women did not meet omega-3 recommendations from food alone. Continued prenatal education on the importance of fish intake and on the addition of omega-3 prenatal supplement is essential.