Function

Increased consumption of oily fish and therefore omega 3 appears to be ‘anti inflammatory' and have protective action against heart disease as well as additional benefits for a developing baby.

Requirements

There is no official requirement for omega 3, however the current advice is that girls and women of reproductive age eat between one an two portions of oily fish a week.

Sources

Omega-3 essential fatty acids are derived mainly from oily fish such as:

• mackerel
• herring
• salmon
• sardines
• tuna counts as an oily fish but only when it is fresh or frozen, not if it is canned.

Vegetarian sources include:

Oils of walnut, soybean, linseed and flax seed.

Pregnancy Functions and Requirements

Eating oily fish during pregnancy has been found to have a slight beneficial effect on birth weight and the length of the pregnancy and is needed for the babies's brain and nerve development in late pregnancy.

Aim to eat oily fish 1 or 2 times per week but no more due to the levels of mercury that could be found in these fish.

For the same reason shark, swordfish and marlin should be avoided.

Supplements

Fish oil supplements are available but choose a brand free of the retinol form of vitamin A. Alternatively there are vegetarian sources of omega-3 fatty acids such as linseed or flax seed oil.