Abstract
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Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), are important for the growing foetus during pregnancy. For the mother to supply enough DHA during pregnancy, consumption of pre-formed DHA is much better than consumption of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and subsequently relying on the conversion of ALA through to DHA. Fish and seafood are the best dietary sources of DHA and purified fish oil supplementation up to 2.7g per day poses no detrimental effects. The recommendations are to consume 200mg DHA per day which can be obtained by consuming two fatty fish meals per week. Pregnant women have limited knowledge about n-3 PUFA and they need to be educated about the importance of DHA consumption during pregnancy.