Dha For Pregnancy

DHA is the omega-3 people ask for by name, usually for a very specific reason. These are the questions our naturopaths ask in store before pointing you to a particular bottle.

A good fit if

• You want to compare the DHA figure on the panel between products, not the milligrams on the front of the pack
• You're vegan or vegetarian, or avoid seafood, and want DHA that never came from a fish
• You eat little oily fish and would rather close that gap with a measured dose than guess
• You're buying for a child and will follow the age directions on the label rather than splitting an adult product
• You're pregnant or planning a pregnancy and will take the product you choose to your antenatal team before starting it

Check with us first if

• You're pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy. The dose is for your antenatal team to decide, and the DHA product you choose changes which warnings apply.
• You're considering cod liver oil while pregnant or planning a pregnancy. The concern is its vitamin A, not the DHA, and Australian labels above the retinol threshold must carry a warning about it.
• You take a blood-thinning or antiplatelet medicine. The effect on platelets comes from the long-chain omega-3s themselves, so it applies to algal DHA as much as to fish oil.
• You have surgery or a dental procedure coming up. Tell your surgeon or dentist you take an omega-3.
• You're switching from a fish oil and want to keep your EPA intake too. DHA-rich products provide less EPA, so compare both lines.
• You're eating fish to raise your DHA while pregnant or feeding young children. Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) recommends limiting shark, billfish, orange roughy and catfish because of mercury.
• You take any prescription medicine at all. Check with your doctor, pharmacist or our naturopaths first.

• Algal DHA (Schizochytrium oil). Best known for: DHA with no fish involved at all, so it suits vegans and people with seafood allergies. Absorption: Triglyceride form; microalgae make DHA in the first place, so nothing had to eat them first. Typical use: Softgels and drops with 200 to 500 mg DHA; the usual pick for pregnancy and for children.
• Calamari or squid oil. Best known for: A marine oil naturally high in DHA, from a short-lived species. Absorption: A triglyceride concentrate, similar to other marine oils. Typical use: For when DHA is what you're after and fish is fine for you; the label must declare mollusc content.
• Concentrated DHA fish oil. Best known for: Flips the usual ratio, so one capsule leans heavily towards DHA rather than EPA. Absorption: Depends on whether it's a triglyceride or ethyl ester concentrate; check the label. Typical use: One or two capsules a day; common in practitioner and pregnancy ranges.
• Cod liver oil. Best known for: The traditional DHA source that also gives you vitamin A and vitamin D. Absorption: Natural triglyceride at natural strength, so the DHA in each dose is modest. Typical use: Liquids and capsules; the vitamin A (retinol) content, not the DHA, is what limits the dose.
• Children's DHA liquids and chewables. Best known for: Small flavoured doses with an age range printed on the label. Absorption: The same oils at a fraction of the dose. Typical use: Follow the age ranges on the label. An adult product isn't just a bigger version of the same thing.

Reference values. There's no Australian figure for DHA on its own. The NHMRC sets its Adequate Intake and Suggested Dietary Target for EPA, DPA and DHA combined, and you'll find those on our omega-3 page. In practice, the useful way to compare two DHA products is the milligrams of DHA listed in the ingredients panel.

Typical supplemental range. Australian labels list roughly 100 mg to 600 mg of DHA per daily dose. Algal softgels commonly provide 200 to 250 mg per capsule, concentrated DHA fish oils more, and children's liquids far less. A plain 1,000 mg fish oil capsule sits at the bottom of that range.

Upper level. There's no NHMRC upper limit for DHA. The Australian limits that affect it apply to concentrated ingredients rather than to DHA itself, and you'll find both word for word in the Australian status section. Neither microalgal DHA entry has a dose cap at all.

Worth knowing. Take it with a meal that contains some fat. Pregnancy is the most common reason people look for DHA, and it's also when the dose is a decision for your health team rather than the shelf, so take the product to your antenatal team rather than deciding alone. What you need depends on your age, diet and health, so talk to one of our naturopaths.

Food first, where the diet allows it.

• Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked: about 1.24 g of DHA per 85 g serve
• Atlantic herring, cooked: about 0.94 g of DHA per 85 g serve
• Sardines, canned in tomato sauce, drained: about 0.74 g of DHA per 85 g serve
• Atlantic mackerel, cooked: about 0.59 g of DHA per 85 g serve
• Light tuna, canned in water, drained: about 0.17 g of DHA per 85 g serve

If any of these sound like you, talk to one of our naturopaths or your doctor before you start.

• You're allergic to fish, shellfish or molluscs. Don't take fish, calamari, krill or cod liver oils; algal DHA is fine.
• You're pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive. Your dose should be decided with your antenatal care team, not off the shelf.
• You're thinking of cod liver oil while pregnant or trying to conceive. Vitamin A warnings apply above the retinol limit.
• You're pregnant or breastfeeding and looking at omega-3-acid ethyl ester concentrates. Labels must say they're not recommended.
• It's for a child under 12 and the product is an ethyl ester concentrate. Labels must say it's not recommended.
• It's for a child. Use a children's product and follow its age ranges, not a fraction of an adult dose.
• You take blood thinners or antiplatelet medicines. The effect on platelets applies to algal DHA too.
• You have surgery or dental work planned. Tell your practitioner beforehand.
• You're eating fish while pregnant or feeding young children. FSANZ limits shark, billfish, orange roughy and catfish.
• You notice unusual bruising or bleeding that won't stop. Stop and get medical advice.
• You notice palpitations or an irregular heartbeat. Stop and get medical advice.
• It smells or tastes rancid, or a liquid is past its shelf life once opened. Throw it out.
• If you take prescription medicines, check with your doctor, pharmacist or our naturopaths before you start.