People have known for a long time that fish oils are good for your health. But during pregnancy, one must look at health axioms for the general public with a critical eye. One must consider what's healthiest for mother and infant. So is it smart for expecting women to take fish oil supplements? It is crucial to remember that the cod liver oil children used to be given by their parents is not identical to omega 3 fish oil. Vitamins A and D are included in cold liver oil and other oils processed from fish livers, but they are not present in pure fish oil. Pregnant women benefit far more from fish oil that is free from Vitamins A and D.

Fish oil supplements derived from fish meat are suitable for pregnant women to take. This type of oil has even been demonstrated to have a positive impact on the health of both the fetus and the expectant mother. The oil omega 3 in particular is a good supplement to take during pregnancy.

Omega 3 fatty acids are extremely important to the development of the unborn fetus, even more so during the last three months of pregnancy. The unborn child's brain and eyes depend on this essential nutrient from the mother. While the human brain is composed of 8% of the Omega 3, it is also shown that a low intake of this during the last 3 months of pregnancy can actually lower a child's IQ, cause poor hand-eye coordination, and difficulty making friends.

Omega 3 essential fatty acids are very popular in health literature these days. It is called essential because the human body is unable to make it and so it must be taken in through food or in the form of dietary supplements. The beneficial substances in omega 3 are docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA).

Diets high is fish such as sardines, salmon and mackerel will provide lots of omega 3. However, there have been health-scares associated with eating lots of fish during pregnancy since some fish can have high concentrations of heavy metals in their flesh.

Some plants, in particular flax and pumpkin seeds, contain ALA, which is an omega 3 fatty acid, but the body is not able to convert the ALA into a usable form in the amount that meets the recommended intake for pregnant women. In order to ensure that expectant mothers are getting enough it is advisable to take supplements made form the flesh of fish which contain the oils.

The child is not the only one to benefit from Omega 3 during pregnancy - the oil also helps combat the depression that can often affect expectant mothers. There is no shortage of companies who produce fish oil supplements which are safe to use in pregnancy.

These supplements are guaranteed not to contain fish liver oils and have also be processed so the oils are easy for the body to absorb. With so many possible advantages to be gained from taking omega 3 supplements during pregnancy, it's very wise to consider them.

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Pregnant women should take fish oil supplements, for better health of both fetus and expectant mother. Fish oil is different from fish liver oil such as cod liver oil. The latter contains vitamins A and D but should not be taken by pregnant women.