MOTHER'S DIET AFFECTS BABY'S HEALTH

DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, belongs to a class of nutrients known as n-3 fatty acids and is essential for normal visual and central nervous system (CNS) development in infants, as well as being associated with a number of health benefits in adults.

Cheruku and others recently published a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in which they investigated nervous system integrity of newborn infants and related it to the plasma DHA status of their mothers. There were signs of more advanced neurological development as indicated by more mature sleep patterning in infants whose mothers had higher concentrations of plasma DHA.

Because n-3 fatty acids (including DHA) accumulate in the fetal tissues primarilyduring the last trimester of pregnancy, adequate maternal intake of these nutrients during this stage is critical for both pre and postnatal brain development.

DHA is most commonly found in cold-water fish, in fish oils, and in supplements. Mothers in the low-DHA group in the study tended to be younger, less educated, and more often non-Caucasian, suggesting that we need to take greater strides in educating young mothers on the benefits of prenatal nutrition with n-3 fatty acids.

Breastfed infants--who receive DHA in their mother's milk-- also had more mature neurological development than did the formula-fed infants in the study

THE BOTTOM LINE

It has always been thought that the health development of newborns was linked to the health level of the mother. This study indicates how important nervous system development is and how simple dietary measures can help insure normal nervous system development in newborns. Additionally, specific chiropractic assessment and care of newborns helps insure the best possible chance for a healthy child.