title: Effects of Maternal Ω-3 Supplementation on Fatty Acids and on Visual and Cognitive Development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether a dairy drink enriched with ω-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) could have an impact on the lipid profile of the mother and the newborn, and also whether this intervention could affect the newborns' visual and cognitive development.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 110 pregnant women were randomly assigned to one of the following intervention groups: control group (n = 54), taking 400 mL/day of the control dairy drink, and supplemented group (fish oil [FO]) (n = 56), taking 400 mL/day of the fish oil-enriched dairy drink (including ∼400 mg eicosapentaenoic acid-docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]/day). During the study, the mothers' diets were supervised by a nutritionist to encourage compliance with present recommendations of FA intake. Blood fatty acid profiles were determined in the mother's (at enrollment, at delivery, and at 2.5 and 4 months) and newborn (at delivery and at 2.5 months) placenta and breast milk (colostrum and at 1, 2, and 4 months). Pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (VEPs) (at 2.5 and 7.5 months) and Bayley test (at 12 months) were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DHA percentage was higher in plasma, erythrocyte membranes, and breast milk samples from the FO group. The ratio of nervonic acid was also higher in plasma and erythrocyte lipids of the mother and newborn's blood samples from the FO group. No differences were observed in the Bayley test. No differences were observed in VEPs between both groups. We observed a shorter latency, however, in the lower visual angle (7.5') in the boys of the supplemented group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Omega-3 LC-PUFA dietary supplement during pregnancy and lactation influenced the mother and newborn's fatty acid profile and nervonic acid content but did not show effects on visual and cognitive/psychomotor development.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Neonatology, Hospital Materno Infantil Virgen de las Nieves, Granada †Programa de Doctorado de Pediatría y Puericultura, University of Granada ‡Department of Neurophysiology, Hospital Materno Infantil Virgen de las Nieves, Granada §Gastroenterology and Pediatric Nutrition Unit, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Insular Materno-Infantil, Las Palmas ||Department of Clinical Sciences, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria #Department of Physiology, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology "José MataixVerdú," University of Granada, Granada **Department of Pediatrics, Hospital de Cruces, Barakaldo ††Research and Development Department, Lactalis Puleva, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hurtado
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Iznaola
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peña
authors.forename: Josefa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruíz
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peña-Quintana
authors.forename: Naroa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kajarabille
authors.forename: Yessica
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Santana
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sanjurjo
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aldámiz-Echevarría
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ochoa
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lara-Villoslada
mesh_terms: D001628:Beverages; D002657:Child Development; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D003126:Colostrum / Q000737:chemistry; D003611:Dairy Products; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry; D055495:Neurogenesis; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils