Impact of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid Supplementation in Individuals During Pregnancy on Neurodevelopment and Growth of Offspring: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Abstract
Maternal prenatal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake is critical for fetal brain and retinal development; however, evidence regarding its effects on offspring neurodevelopment and growth remains inconsistent. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of prenatal DHA supplementation on offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes (attention, motor, intelligence, language, executive function, and short-term memory) and growth parameters (birth weight, head circumference, gestational age, and birth length) in the general population. We analyzed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from 2001 to 2023 across PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Of 917 records, 21 RCTs were included in the systematic review, of which 19 were eligible for meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that prenatal DHA supplementation had no significant benefits on any neurodevelopmental outcome. Subgroup analyses revealed no improvements across all assessed domains (all p > 0.05). In contrast, prenatal DHA supplementation significantly increased neonatal birth weight (mean difference [MD] = 72.51 g, 95% CI: 37.55-107.48), whereas no notable improvements were observed in head circumference, gestational age, birth length, or any of the assessed neurodevelopmental outcomes. Overall, the current evidence does not support benefits of prenatal DHA supplementation for neurodevelopmental outcomes or for growth outcomes other than birth weight in the general population. Future research should…
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