Women's awareness of the importance of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid consumption during pregnancy: knowledge of risks, benefits and information accessibility.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate pregnant women's knowledge regarding the importance of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA) consumption during pregnancy and assess their views on current information availability.


METHODS
A 27-item demographic and food safety/behaviour questionnaire was administered to pregnant women during their antenatal clinic visits. chi2 tests were performed using SPSS.


METHODS
Antenatal clinics at two regional hospitals in New South Wales, Australia.


METHODS
One hundred and ninety (n 190) pregnant women.


RESULTS
Three quarters of the women had not received information regarding LC n-3 PUFA. Approximately half of the women were aware of issues relating to LC n-3 PUFA; however, their knowledge was limited, with most obtaining their knowledge from books and magazines. Women generally had low (30 %, 29 %) to moderate (28 %, 24 %) levels of concern about LC n-3 PUFA and mercury, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Pregnant women lack knowledge of LC n-3 PUFA and health-care services do not provide pregnant women with adequate information on the importance of eating foods high in LC n-3 PUFA during pregnancy.
School of Health Sciences and Smart Foods Centre, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
Danka S
DS
Sinikovic
Heather R
HR
Yeatman
Deborah
D
Cameron
Barbara J
BJ
Meyer
D022126:Access to Information; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D039401:Prenatal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D012306:Risk; D017747:Seafood / Q000009:adverse effects; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3