Omega-3 is a critical nutrient before, during, and after pregnancy. When you hear about Omega-3 for this stage of life, the emphasis is often on the benefits for the baby’s brain and eye development. What’s less commonly understood are the maternal benefits of Omega-3.
Up to 95% of women of childbearing age are failing to meet their needs for this fundamental nutrient, despite very clear, clinically studied benefits for before, during and after pregnancy. Omega-3 hasn’t gotten the top pre- and postnatal nutritional billing it deserves.
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Key Takeaways
- Up to 95% of women of childbearing age do not meet their omega-3 needs — this shortfall begins before conception and deepens across pregnancy, making omega-3 status a pre-pregnancy consideration rather than a third-trimester one.
- Women aged 19–55 consume an average of 48mg of DHA and 19mg of EPA per day, while a baby draws roughly 67mg of DHA daily in the third trimester and first year — most mothers are supplying less DHA than their baby requires, and the body prioritizes the baby, drawing down maternal stores.
- The body converts ALA into DHA and EPA at rates below 1% — walnuts, chia, and flax do not reliably meet DHA and EPA needs, which is why cold-water fish such as salmon, herring, and sardines remain the primary dietary source.
- The Western Omega-6:3 ratio reaches 25:1, against an optimal range of 4:1 to 1:1 — because omega-6 and omega-3 compete for space in cell membranes, an excess of omega-6 limits how well the body uses the omega-3 already present.
- EPA supports maternal mood, hormone balance, and the transfer of DHA across the placenta, but many prenatals don't have enough in their formulas — mothers evaluating a prenatal should check the label for meaningful amounts of both, since many contain little DHA and less EPA.
What is Omega-3, what role does it play in the body, and where does it come from?
The human body can make most of the types of fats it needs from other fats or raw materials. That isn’t the case for omega-3 fatty acids (“Omega-3”). These are essential fats—the body can’t make them from scratch but must get them from food. There are 3 main types of Omega-3 fatty acids:
- Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA): ALA is the most common type of Omega-3 in the Western diet, found primarily in nuts like walnuts and seeds like chia and flax. ALA is a precursor to the two more usable forms of Omega-3, DHA and EPA.
- Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): DHA is critical for cell membrane structure and cell signaling. DHA is the Omega-3 responsible for brain and eye development and function, and the health of your ovarian reserves, as well as your hair, skin, and nails.
- Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA): EPA produces signaling molecules called eicosanoids, which play numerous physiological roles. The benefits of EPA include mood and hormone balance, and reducing overall inflammation in the body. Studies have also found that EPA helps to transfer DHA across the placenta, and that decreased EPA levels may limit the transport and uptake of DHA into fetal cells.
Humans can synthesize DHA and EPA from ALA, but only at very low amounts (often less than 1%). For this reason, ALA is not considered a reliable source of meeting your DHA and EPA needs. The best food source of DHA and EPA is cold-water fatty fish, like salmon, herring, and sardines. These fish do not produce Omega-3; rather, they bioaccumulate it from the source of DHA and EPA, marine algae.
Why do I need Omega-3 before pregnancy?
There are several benefits to optimizing your Omega-3 levels before conceiving a baby. Firstly, many women begin pregnancy with suboptimal levels of Omega-3 (particularly EPA and DHA), and levels are often cut in half over the ensuing 9 months as baby’s nutritional needs are prioritized. Starting with healthy levels ensures that both you and your baby get your needs met, minimizing the risk of postnatal depletion.
Omega-3 also plays a key role in successfully conceiving a baby; it supports hormone balance, helps maintain a healthy inflammatory response, and contributes to egg quality. Healthy Omega-3 levels have even been shown to correlate with a longer reproductive lifespan for women 35+. Omega-3 is important for male fertility too, with studies demonstrating that Omega-3 supplementation can provide meaningful sperm concentration and motility in men.
Omega-3 during pregnancy
During pregnancy, Omega-3 supports baby’s brain development and cell growth, particularly during the third trimester when growth really accelerates.
Omega-3 also contributes to a healthy gestational length, particularly in women who begin pregnancy with low levels. Healthy Omega-3 levels also have supportive benefits for healthy mood and cognitive function.
Omega-3 after pregnancy
Healthy postpartum Omega-3 levels are critical for breastmilk nutrient content, maternal mood, brain function, hormone balance, and overall postpartum recovery.
Pregnancy is nutritionally depleting, and omega-3 is among those nutrients you may have a short supply of after labor and delivery. This depletion is more pronounced with subsequent pregnancies. Ensuring you have adequate stores with a combination of dietary sources and high-quality supplementation is important.
Why do most women fall short on Omega-3?
As you’ll recall, fish is the best dietary source of DHA and EPA. Unfortunately, fish isn't a staple in most people who follow a Western diet, often falling far short of the FDA’s recommended 8oz or 2-3 servings of fish per week.
This is especially true during pregnancy, when many women avoid fish due to food aversions or the fear of accumulating heavy metals and microplastics from our fish supply. A study looking at DHA and EPA intake from 2003-2008 found that, on average, women aged 19-55 consume just 48mg of DHA and 19mg of EPA per day from food sources. The numbers improve only slightly, to 53mg of DHA and 31mg of EPA per day, when including supplementation in dietary intake. Many women’s vitamins and supplements (including prenatals!) contain very low amounts of DHA and EPA — that’s if they include any at all.
Additionally, the typical Western diet tends to be higher in Omega-6 fats, such as vegetable oil, corn, and soybeans. Omega-6 fatty acids aren't inherently bad; they are essential polyunsaturated fats that your body needs for brain function and normal growth. However, eating excessive amounts, while lacking enough omega-3, may promote inflammation. This Omega-6:3 ratio can be as high as 25:1, while the ideal balance is between 4:1 and 1:1.
In addition to shifting your diet towards a better balance of Omega-3 vs Omega-6 rich foods, supplementing with a high-quality Omega-3 can be very important in maintaining an optimal Omega-3:6 ratio.
What this means for expecting and new mothers
To put this in the context of pregnancy, during the third trimester and first year, a baby accumulates approximately 67mg of DHA per day, supporting their rapid cognitive development. Nature has evolved to give nutritional preference to a growing baby, ensuring that it gets everything it needs —even if mom isn’t consuming enough. That means during pregnancy and postpartum (if you're breastfeeding), your omega-3 stores are depleting at a much faster rate than any other time.
While your body nourishes your baby, you'll likely feel the effects; even more so for those with low levels of Omega-3, who often become further depleted due to the demands of pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much DHA do you need during pregnancy?
The American Pregnancy Association recommends 300mg of DHA per day during pregnancy. For context, a baby draws roughly 67mg of DHA daily during the third trimester and the first year of life, while women aged 19–55 take in an average of 48mg per day from food.
When should you start taking omega-3?
Before conception. Omega-3 levels are often cut roughly in half over the course of
pregnancy as the baby's needs are prioritized, so beginning with healthy stores supports
both mother and baby and helps maintain those stores through the postpartum period.
Is DHA or EPA more important during pregnancy?
Both. DHA supports brain and eye development and cell membrane structure, while EPA
supports healthy mood, hormone balance, and the transfer of DHA across the placenta —
which means EPA levels influence how much DHA reaches the baby.
Can you get enough omega-3 from flax, chia, or walnuts?
No. Those foods provide ALA, which the body converts to DHA and EPA at rates often below 1%. Coldwater fatty fish such as salmon, herring, and sardines remain the most reliable dietary source of DHA and EPA.
Do prenatal vitamins contain enough DHA?
Many contain little DHA and less EPA, and some contain none at all. Check the supplement facts panel for the specific milligram amounts of DHA and EPA rather than assuming a prenatal covers them.
Why are omega-3 levels so low in the Western diet?
Fish consumption falls well below the FDA's recommended 2–3 servings per week, and the Western diet is high in omega-6 fats from sources such as vegetable oil, corn, and soybeans. Because omega-6 and omega-3 compete for space in cell membranes, a ratio as high as 25:1 limits how well the body uses the omega-3 already present.
The bottom line: Prenatal supplements don't have enough Omega-3
Despite the overwhelming evidence that Omega-3 is critical to fetal, infant, and maternal health and wellness outcomes, many prenatal vitamins don't contain enough Omega-3, if they contain any at all. And, given the strong evidence supporting EPA’s role for maternal mood, hormone balance, and postpartum recovery, as well as EPA’s role in shuttling DHA across the placenta to baby, it’s further surprising that very few prenatals contain a meaningful amount of EPA.
That's where supplementation with a balance of DHA and EPA comes in. Look for a formula that provides meaningful amounts of both DHA and EPA, and that pairs them with helper nutrients such as choline and sunflower lecithin to support absorption.
Meeting your own omega-3 needs supports your nourishment while you nourish the next generation.
