What is DHA and why is it important to prenatal health?
DHA or docosahexaenoic acid is an omega-3 fatty acid found in egg yolks, in fish such as tuna, salmon, and sardines as well as fish oils; it is abundant in breast milk, especially if Mom gets plenty of DHA in her diet. DHA is of great importance for pregnant women and new mothers, because is a major structural fat in the brain and retina, accounting for up to 97 percent of the omega-3s in the brain and up to 93 percent of the omega-3s in the retina. DHA is also a key component of the heart and is shown to support heart health from infancy through adulthood. DHA is especially important in the last trimester of pregnancy and the first few months of an infants life when the childs brain undergoes rapid growth.
