Prenatal DHA Supplementation Does Not Enhance Offspring's IQ

At age 7 years, children whose mothers received docosahexaenoic acid during the last half of pregnancy did not have higher IQ, academic ability, or executive functioning than controls.

Prenatal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation has been postulated to enhance fetal neurodevelopment because DHA is the most abundant omega-3 fatty acid in the human brain. An Australian study showed no motor or intellectual differences at ages 18 months or 4 years between children whose mothers were randomized to take 800 mg of DHA daily in the last half of pregnancy and those whose mothers were randomized to placebo (NEJM JW Psychiatry and JAMA 2010; 304:1675 and NEJM JW Womens Health and JAMA 2014; 311:1802). In this follow-up study, researchers report findings at age 7 years in 259 children exposed to DHA in utero and 284 controls.

Mean IQ did not differ significantly between the DHA and control groups (98.31 and 97.32). Executive f…

Reviewing Author

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

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Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

F. Bruder Stapleton, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardCareer Physician

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesAmerican Society of Pediatric Nephrology Foundation (Chair)

Prenatal DHA Supplementation Does Not Enhance Offspring's IQ

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Reviewing Author