DHA is the acronym for decosahexanoic acid, an essential omega-3 fat that is crucial for vision and brain development in babies. DHA is the primary structural component of brain tissue. It is considered an essential fat because our bodies are not able to manufacture it, we must therefore get it from our diet.

During the last trimester of pregnancy brain growth is at its peak and the need for DHA is increased to support optimum brain, nervous system and retina development. Sixty per cent of the brain is fat, studies show that babies whose moms had an adequate supply during pregnancy have higher IQ scores, exceedingly high attention spans and were developmentally ahead of babies whose mother’s did not increased DHA intake during pregnancy.

Benefits do not stop with brain development, studies also show that women who take DHA during the last trimester are more likely to carry to term and their babies are longer, weigh more and have a slight increase in head circumference. Studies have also shown that pregnant women who have an increased intake of DHA are less likely to suffer postpartum depression.

Once baby is born, brain development experiences its most rapid rate of growth during the first year of life. In fact during this time the brain triples in size. It is important to continue supporting this development with healthy fats, specifically DHA. DHA is naturally present in breast milk, but amounts vary based on mom’s diet. If mom’s diet is rich in DHA she will produce DHA rich milk for her baby, but if mom’s diet is low in DHA her breast milk will also be low.

Nutritional sources of DHA include seafood, algae and coldwater fish. Flaxseed oil contains ALA, known as Alpha-linolenic acid. Our bodies can convert ALA into DHA, but the conversion does not always happen efficiently, as many other cofactors come into play.

The body of research supporting DHA for both pregnant and breastfeeding women and their babies continues to grow, as a registered orthomolecular health practitioner I recommend my pregnant and breastfeeding clients supplement with DHA to ensure their needs and the needs of their baby are being met.