Prenatal supplementation with DHA improves attention at 5 y of age: a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Docosahexanoic acid (DHA) is an important constituent of the brain. Evidence from well-designed intervention trials of the long-term benefits of increasing DHA intake during pregnancy has been sparse.

Objective

We evaluated global cognition, behavior, and attention at age 5 y in the offspring of Mexican women who participated in a randomized controlled trial of prenatal DHA supplementation.

Design

A total of 1094 women were randomly assigned to receive 400 mg of either DHA or placebo/d from 18 to 22 wk of pregnancy until delivery. We assessed cognitive development and behavioral and executive functioning, including attention, in 797 offspring at age 5 y (82% of 973 live births) with the use of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities (MSCA), the parental

SUBMITTER: Ramakrishnan U 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5039806 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature