Does Algal DHA Support at-Risk Pregnancies?

Chapel Hill, NC, July 16, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Source-Omega (http://www.source-omega.com) reported today a 2014 omega-3 conference speaker presented preliminary data from the KUDOS Study (Kansas University DHA Outcome Study) that supports their own conservative public health positions on DHA intake by pregnant mothers. The company’s Chief Scientist and CEO is a published omega-3 researcher in his own right, previously funded as an NIH Fellow to look at potential omega-3 benefits in public health.

“After 7 years, my scientific understanding of the benefits of DHA intake by pregnant mothers has been limited to interpreting mainly indirect data after birth. While preliminary, recent discussion among leading experts and researchers is pointing out that DHA intake may best support at-risk pregnancies. Whereas I am not involved in the study, the public health implications are too important. The direct results, if further substantiated, would suggest pre-term deliveries are reduced when the expecting mother receives 600 mg DHA omega-3 throughout gestation,” said Dr Scott Doughman, PhD at Source-Omega.

The recent presentation at the DHA Omega-3 Symposium in Toronto Canada by a member of the study sponsor’s laboratory revealed that cumulative probabilities of delivery data within the KUDOS study (http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00266825) supported specific reductions in premature births earlier than 36 weeks only in the supplemented group. There was no difference in the probability of births after 36 weeks in women who were supplemented with 600 mg DHA per day from an algal source versus the non-supplemented group. If true, additional research on the subject could yield important new findings.

The expert discussion of at-risk pregnancies indicated that there are established risks for spontaneous preterm labor (Challis et al., Reproduction 2002; 124:1-17). These risk factors included carrying multiples, infections, smoking, marital status, obesity, age, race, gestational diabetes, prior 2nd trimester pregnancy loss, prior preterm delivery and various abnormalities.

Dr Doughman indicated, “This list does not mean that DHA will reduce risks from any one specific issue, rather overall risk may be improved or some undefined specific risk(s) may be improved. This information is intended to be a professional discussion of emerging trends in omega-3 DHA research.”