Table 1.
Supplementation of DHA on the neonatal growth and cognitive development: a consolidated Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT).
| Subject, Sample Size, Location | Dosages, Duration | Primary Outcome | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pregnant women, n = 350, USA | DHA 600 mg per day, <20 wk to delivery | Gestational duration ↑ Birth size ↑ |
Carlson et al., 2013 [45] |
| Pregnant women, n = 315, Germany, and others | DHA 500 mg and EPA 150 mg per day, <20 wk to delivery | Visual coordination 2.5 yr. children ↑ Cognitive development 5.5 yr children↑ |
Dunstan et al., 2008 Escolano et al., 2011 [52] |
| Pregnant women, n = 300, UK | DHA 300 mg, EPA 42 mg, ARA 8.4 mg per day for 12 wks from the third trimester | MRI of infant (n = 86) at birth show a correlation with DHA and brain volume ↑ | Ogundipe et al., 2018 [163] |
| Pregnant women, n = 271, Canada | DHA 400 mg per day, 16 wk to delivery | Maternal DHA correlates with language and short-term memory development of 5.79 yr children ↑ | Mulder et al., 2018 [166] |
| Pregnant women, n = 1094, Mexico | DHA 400 mg per day, 18–22 wk to delivery | Birth size and head circumference at birth ↑ The attention of 5 yr pre-school children↑ |
Ramkrishnan et al., 2010 [113] |
| Pregnant women, n = 2399, Australia | DHA 800 mg per day, <21 wk to delivery | No effects on cognitive and language development in 1.2 yr infant | Makrides et al., 2010 [17] |
| Pregnant women, n = 301, USA | DHA 600 mg per day, 14.5 wk to delivery | Cognitive behavior 10 mo to 6 yr; Visual attention ↑ No long-term beneficial effects |
Colombo et al., 2019 [164] |
| Pregnant women, n = 143, Norway | DHA 1183 mg and EPA 803 mg per 10 mL per day, 18 wk to post-delivery 3 mo | Mental processing score at 4 and 7 yr age ↑ No effects on BMI at 7 yr age |
Helland et al., 2003 [65] |
| Pregnant women, n = 150, Iran | DHA 120 mg and EPA 180 mg per day, 20 wk to post-delivery 1 mo. | Primary neurodevelopment outcome of 4–6 mo Infant ↑ | Ostadrahim et al., 2018 [165] |
| Pregnant women, n = 98, Australia | DHA 2200 mg and EPA 1100 mg per day, 20 wk to delivery | Visual and coordination 2.5 yr children ↑ | Dunstan et al., 2008 [52] |
| Pregnant women, n = 30, USA | DHA 214 mg as a functional food, 24 wk to delivery | Visual acuity 4 mo infant ↑ | Judge et al., 2007 [168] |
Abbreviations: DHA: Docosahexaenoic acid; ARA: Arachidonic acid; EPA: Eicosapentaenoic acid; Mo: Month; Yr: Year; Wk: Week; MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging. ↑ denotes “increased”.