We know that in order to limit the exposure of infants in particular to contaminants such as persistent organic pollutants (POPs), health agencies have published advice on the consumption of fish by pregnant women and the general population. Thus, in France, the National Food Safety Agency (ANSES) has limited consumption to twice a week for women during pregnancy. However, this research, presented in Pediatric Research, suggests that a slight adjustment in the diet of pregnant women could be beneficial for their babies: eating fatty fish regularly during pregnancy - i.e. twice a week - could help improve the development of vision and brain function of the unborn child.
Consuming oily fish regularly during pregnancy, thus suggests to future mothers, this small study conducted by Kirsi Laitinen of the University and University Hospital of Turku (Finland), which thus confirms previous results which show to what extent the An expectant mother's diet and lifestyle choices are important to the development of her baby. The mother's diet during pregnancy and lactation are the two main routes by which long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids can be delivered to the fetus and then to the infant brain during the period of brain growth. These fatty acids are essential for the formation of nerve cells, especially those associated with the retina and vision.
The study analyzes the dietary data of 56 mothers, including during pregnancy, and their children from a larger cohort. Weight fluctuations, blood sugar levels and blood pressure were also taken into account before and during pregnancy, as were certain lifestyle factors, including smoking. The team focused, in particular, on the levels of nutritional sources of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in the mother's diet and blood serum, as well as their concentrations in the children's blood at one month old. Children were assessed for sight at 2 years of age.
- Analyzes of visual test results reveal that infants whose mothers ate fish 3 or more times per week during the last trimester of pregnancy do better;
- These observations are confirmed by serum phospholipid fatty acid status.
Regular consumption of fish by pregnant women is therefore beneficial for the development of the unborn child. A benefit probably attributable to the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids present in high concentrations in fish, but also to other nutrients such as vitamins D and E already documented as important for development.
The study thus underlines that subtle changes in the diet of pregnant women, beyond prematurity or nutritional deficiencies, can promote the regulation of the neurological development of the child.
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