The Efficacy of Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Depressive Symptoms among Pregnant Women in Japan and Taiwan: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial (SYNCHRO; NCT01948596)
Abstract
ing pregnancy in Taiwan [1]. The study used 2.2 g of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and 1.2 g of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) daily; however, the appropriate dosage of supplemental omega-3 PUFAs is not clear, and it may differ by country according to differences in the consumption of foods rich in omega-3 PUFAs, such as fish. Our pilot trial showed the potential effect of a moderate dose of omega-3 PUFAs (1.8 g, 1.2 g of EPA, and 0.6 g of DHA daily) for depressive symptoms during pregnancy in Japan and Taiwan [2, 3]. The aim of this double-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) was to determine the efficacy of this moderate daily dose of omega-3 PUFA supplementation for depressive symptoms among pregnant women in these countries. As described in detail in the protocol [4], the Synchronized Trial on Expectant Mothers with Depressive Symptoms by Omega-3 PUFAs (SYNCHRO) was a multicenter, double-blind, parallel group RCT. We hypothesized that subjects receiving omega 3 will experience greater improvement in depression than those on placebo. Pregnant women between 12 and 24 weeks of gestation who scored 9 or higher on Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were recruited at three sites: Toda Chuo Women’s Hospital, a local hospital in Japan (site 1); National Center for Child Health and Development (site 2), Japan; and China Medical University Hospital, Taiwan (site 3). The study protocol was approved by the institutional review boards of every research institution. Participants…
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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.
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