What is DHA and why is it needed in pre-natal vitamins?
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an essential omega-3 fatty acid responsible for many physiological roles particularly in early development.
The human body cannot synthesize DHA from fatty acid precursors and as a result must be obtained through the diet.
DHA is vital for brain development in fetal and infant stages as well as for the maintenance of normal brain function throughout life.
DHA is required for brain cells to communicate properly.
During fetal development, maternal DHA is preferentially transported across the placenta and into fetal circulation. DHA accrues rapidly in the human brain during the third trimester of preganancy and during the early postnatal period. Maternal omega-III fatty acid stores are the sole source of DHA for the fetus as well as for exclusively breast-fed infants. DHA is the most abundant omega-III fatty acid in human breast milk. Due primarily to the less-than-average consumption of seafood and coldwater fish, American women have among the lowest levels of DHA in breast milk. Hence the recommendation for fish oil supplementation for pregnant and nursing mothers.
In the United States, infant formulas do not require supplementation with DHA. But, In Japan and most of Europe, infant formulas are supplemented with DHA. Some premium infant formulas in the United States do contain DHA. These formulas typically contain 8-17 mg of DHA per 100 kilocalories of formula.
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