title: Does fish consumption during pregnancy increase fetal growth? A study of the size of the newborn, placental weight and gestational age in relation to fish consumption during pregnancy.
abstract: This study investigates whether consumption of fish during pregnancy may prolong gestation or increase fetal growth. From 1984 to 1987, 11,980 pregnant Danish women filled out a questionnaire while they were in the 36th week of gestation; this was 83% of all such women living in two geographically defined areas. The women were divided into four strata dependent on having consumed a fish meal 0, 1-2, 3-4, or 5+ times during the previous month. In non-smokers, a one level increase in fish consumption was, after adjusting for 19 other variables in a multiple regression model, found to be associated with an increase of 11 g in placental weight, 0.08 cm in head circumference and 16 g in birthweight (95% confidence intervals (CI) 5 to 17 g (p = 0.0002), 0.02 to 0.14 cm (p = 0.02), and -2 to 34 g (p = 0.09), respectively); no associations with birth length or gestational age could be detected (95% Cl-0.07 to 0.11 cm (p = 0.7) and -0.82 to 0.05 days (p = 0.2), respectively, per level change in fish consumption). None of the associations seen in non-smokers were seen in smokers. We postulate that the associations seen in non-smokers could be due to marine n-3 fatty acids improving placental blood flow by increasing the ratio of prostacyclins to thromboxane. Smoking may possibly interfere with this mechanism via nicotine's inhibitory effect on platelet thromboxane production.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social Medicine, University of Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olsen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frische
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001724:Birth Weight; D003718:Denmark; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005502:Food; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D009929:Organ Size; D010920:Placenta / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects