Prenatal DHA

DHA plays a vital role in the development of a baby. There are several important nutrients that your body needs especially during pregnancy, such as folic acid, choline, and DHA. DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, is an omega‐3 fatty acid that is found in seafood and omega-­‐3 supplements and is often included in prenatal supplements.

Levels of DHA in your blood are affected by both nature and what you eat. For you, DHA is important because pregnant women with higher DHA blood levels are less likely to have early preterm birth compared to women with low levels. For your baby, DHA is important for brain, eye, and immune system development. The Prenatal DHA (P-­‐DHA) level is the percent of DHA of all fatty acids in your red blood cell membranes. It reflects the omega-­‐3 status of your body over the last few months, similar to how hemoglobin A1C reflects long-­‐term glucose blood levels.

As a part of an overall healthy lifestyle, a P-­‐DHA of >5% helps provide your baby with a good amount of these important fats while helping to preserve your own DHA levels, as well as increasing the likelihood that your pregnancy goes to term.