Health hubs / Children's health: education
Omega-3 in pregnancy and infancy
Fewer preterm births in Cochrane; no clear boost to child development in the largest trial.
Talk to your pediatrician. This section is education only and does not replace your child's medical care. Doses for children are only quoted from official guidance (AAP, NIH ODS, WHO).
Pregnancy
A Cochrane review of 70 trials found omega-3 in pregnancy reduced preterm birth before 37 weeks and early preterm birth before 34 weeks, with high-quality evidence, and little clear effect on child development [1]. In the DOMInO trial, 800 mg of DHA daily in pregnancy did not improve children's cognitive or language scores at 18 months [2].
Food first
FDA and EPA advise pregnant and breastfeeding people to eat 8 to 12 ounces a week of low-mercury fish, and children 1 to 2 servings a week of age-appropriate size [3].
Sources
- Middleton et al. 2018, Cochrane. doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD003402.pub3
- Makrides et al. 2010, JAMA (DOMInO). doi.org/10.1001/jama.2010.1507
- FDA/EPA, Advice about eating fish. www.fda.gov/food/consumers/advice-about-eating-fish
- NIH ODS, Omega-3 fact sheet. ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Omega3FattyAcids-HealthProfessional/
DOIs verified against Crossref and official pages checked on 2026-10-15.