Aid Normal Brain and Eye Development in Babies

DHA is required for brain and visual development in infants. During a woman's last trimester of pregnancy and the first few years of life, these organs expand fast. As a result, it is critical for women to consume adequate DHA during pregnancy and when breastfeeding. In a study of 82 kids, DHA levels in mothers before childbirth accounted for 33% of the difference in the child's problem-solving abilities at age one, implying a relationship between greater DHA levels in mothers and better problem-solving in their offspring.

Preterm newborns, in particular, have increased DHA requirements because the majority of this fat is obtained during the third trimester. In a trial of 31 preterm neonates, daily doses of 55 mg per pound (120 mg per kg) of DHA for one month after birth, compared to a placebo, prevented the typical reduction in DHA seen following preterm birth.