Evidence Hub

Effect of high-docosahexaenoic acid omega-3 supplementation in low-risk pregnant women on maternal and neonatal health outcomes in Southeast Brazil: a randomized clinical trial

de Sousa TM, Cotting CSO, Ferreira LA, Osanan GC, Dos Santos LC

Journal of tropical pediatrics, 2026

30 participants

Abstract

Despite well-documented benefits of omega-3 for maternal and child health, evidence on high-docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation in low-risk pregnant women is limited. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted among low-risk pregnant women aged 20-40 years at 22-24 weeks of gestation to evaluate the effects of high-DHA omega-3 supplementation on maternal and neonatal health outcomes. The control group (CG, n = 30) received oral olive oil supplementation, and the intervention group (IG, n = 30) received omega-3 [1700 mg, 260 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and 1440 mg of DHA] for ∼16 weeks or until delivery. Maternal and neonatal health outcomes were collected by telephone 15 days after delivery. Forty-five pregnant women completed the study (IG: 20; CG: 25). Adherence to supplementation was above 90% and did not differ between groups (P > .05). There were no differences between groups in mean gestational age (CG: 39.3 ± 1.6; IG: 39.2 ± 1.6; P = .877), adequate gestational weight gain (CG: 24.0%; IG: 50.0%; P = .088), adequate gestational BMI before delivery (CG: 33.3%; IG: 27.8%; P = .261), vaginal delivery (CG: 72.0%; IG: 60.0%; P = .396), full-term birth (CG: 92%; IG: 90%; P = .815), adequate weight (CG: 91.3%; IG: 94.7%; P = .237), and adequate length for gestational age (CG: 82.6%; IG: 100%; P = .056). Omega-3 supplementation with a higher concentration of DHA had no effect on the maternal and neonatal health outcomes investigated in a…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 30 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free