OMEGA-3 AND OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS DURING PREGNANCY AND EARLY CHILDHOOD

3 Fatty acids are biologically important nutrients. One n-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid, is an important component of neural and retinal membranes and accumulates rapidly in the brain and retina during the later part of gestation and early postnatal life. It is reasonable to hypothesize that maternal n-3 fatty acid intakes might have significant effects on subsequent infant visual function and neurodevelopmental status. Much interest has been expressed about the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) requirements of both preterm and term infants, whereas relatively little attention has been given to the LCPUFA needs of mothers, who may provide the primary source of LCPUFAs for their fetuses and breast-fed infants. The aim of this review is to synthesize the recent data on the importance of maternal status and nutrition on the fetus and infant development.