Women who take fish oil during their third trimester of pregnancy might cut their children’s risk of developing asthma by as much as one-third, a new clinical trial suggests.
The fish oil dose was high — with fatty acid levels that were 15 to 20 times more than the average American gets from food.
But there were no significant side effects, according to lead researcher Dr. Hans Bisgaard. He’s a professor of pediatrics at the University of Copenhagen, in Denmark.
He stopped short of making any general recommendations for pregnant women, however.
Bisgaard said his “personal interpretation” is that fish oil offers a safe way to prevent some cases of childhood asthma.
But he also said there are questions left for future studies. Among them are: What is the best point in pregnancy to start fish oil, and what is the optimal dose?
