

HOW THE BRAIN DEVELOPS IN THE WOMB
How the brain develops depends on the intake of specific nutrients at specific times, which makes nutrition the most influential non-genetic factor in brain development2a Whether your first baby or your third, pregnancy demands a lot from your body. So, it is important to ensure that you have what you need to stay strong.

EFAS: WHAT THEY ARE AND WHY THEY MATTER
EFAs (essential fatty acids), such as Omega-3, are responsible for healthy foetal brain development. From conception until birth, your body naturally prioritises the foetus by diverting EFAs from you to your baby. This could leave you more likely to have an Omega-3 deficiency.3a
While Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are important for foetal brain development, they can also provide protective benefits by helping to prevent certain pregnancy complications such as: 3b, 4a
- Depression
- Pre-term labour and delivery
- Preeclampsia – a condition that occurs only in pregnancy with symptoms that may include high blood pressure and protein in the urine
HOW EFAS WORK
The three main Omega 3 fatty acids are:
- Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA)
- Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)
- Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)5a
FOODS THAT FEED YOUR BABY’S BRAIN
Equally, the standard western diet includes too many Omega-6 fatty acids found in many vegetable oils, poultry (chicken, duck and turkey) and eggs. However, there is one Omega-6 fatty acid that is important for brain development called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA).9
Getting the right balance of Omega-3 and Omega-6 (specifically GLA) essential fatty acids to ensure optimal foetal brain development is critical.


FOODS HIGH IN ALA
Plant-based foods such as nuts and seeds are high in ALA. Examples include flaxseeds, walnuts, canola, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, cashew nuts, and chia seeds.5b
FOODS HIGH IN EPA AND DHA
Your best source of EPA and DHA comes from oily fish. Pregnancy nutrition can be confusing, particularly when it comes to seafood (fish and shellfish). When choosing your fish consider these precautions7:
- Avoid large, predatory fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tile fish and these are inclined to have higher mercury levels
- Select fish low in mercury and high in Omega 3s including salmon, anchovies, herring, sardines, trout and mackerel
- Remember that how you cook your fish impacts Omega-3 intake – for example, grill your fish instead of frying it
- Pay attention to local fish advisories when you eat fish from local waters
FOODS HIGH IN GLA
- Flaxseed oil, flaxseeds, flaxseed meal
- Hemp seed oil, hemp seeds
- Grapeseed oil
- Seeds such pumpkin seeds and raw sunflower seeds
- Nuts, including pignolia (pine) nuts and pistachios
- Borage oil, evening primrose oil, black currant seed oil
- Acai (small, dark blackish-purple, berry-like fruit)10
DHA AND YOUR BABY’S BRAIN
DHA especially plays a crucial role in brain and neural tissue development:
- Concentrated in the central nervous system, DHA is the primary fatty acid in the brain2b
- DHA is highest in the system during the last trimester of pregnancy, at the time of the foetal brain’s growth spurt – the brain nearly doubles in size and develops significantly2c
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