(13-05-11) Eating fish helps prevent preterm births, suggests new study

by Jonathan Benson, staff writer

(NaturalNews) A new study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology
seems to confirm the notion that fish-based omega-3 fatty acids play a crucial
role in proper fetal development. Dr. Mark A. Klebanoff from the Nationwide
Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and his team found that pregnant women
who eat two-to-three servings of fatty fish a week are about 40 percent less
likely to deliver early than women who eat less than one serving of fatty fish
a month.

For the study, Klebanoff and his team evaluated 852 women who were already at
high risk of delivering early. Seventy percent of the women said they ate at
least one half-serving of fish per week during the first four or five months of
pregnancy, while the rest said they ate fish no more than once a month during
pregnancy. Thirty-six percent of the half-serving-minimum group ended up
delivering early, while 49 percent of the once-monthly-or-less group delivered
early.

"Whether it's the fish itself or something else, we cannot say," said
Klebanoff to Reuters Health concerning the findings. However, the common
denominator seems to point to omega-3s as the critical factor in boosting
healthy fetal development, as these important fatty acids are already known to
help boost brainpower, improve cellular function, prevent cancer, and promote
overall health (http://www.naturalnews.com/omega-3.html).

A 2010 study that supposedly found no benefit between omega-3 intake and
lowered rates of preterm birth was flawed by design because pregnant
participants began taking omega-3 supplements between the 16th and 21st week of
pregnancy, rather than right from the start. And according to Reuters Health,
Klebanoff acknowledged this fact when presenting the results of his study,
which suggests that omega-3s may actually be the beneficial agent in helping to
prevent preterm delivery.

Klebanoff suggests that pregnant women avoid eating fish like swordfish and
mackerel that are typically very high in toxic mercury, and instead choose
lower-mercury options like sardines, tuna, and salmon. Vegetarian women who
choose not to eat fish can instead consume oils like hemp and flax as an
alternative, assuming that omega-3s are the primary benefactor in this case.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011...

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