Original Article
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2009) 63, 340–346; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602933; published online 24 October 2007
The effect of fish and 
-3 LCPUFA intake on low birth weight in Indian pregnant women
Guarantor: S Muthayya.
Contributors: SM wrote the first draft of the manuscript and was involved in study design and implementation and data analysis. PD was involved in study design, implementation and data entry and writing of the manuscript. TT was involved in data analysis and writing of the manuscript. SR was involved in data entry, biochemical analyses and writing of the manuscript. AVK was involved in study design, data analysis and writing of the manuscript. RM and MV were involved in data interpretation and writing of the manuscript. AM, RM, AT and SB provided study subjects and facilities for this collaborative research.
S Muthayya1, P Dwarkanath1, T Thomas1, S Ramprakash1, R Mehra2, A Mhaskar3, R Mhaskar3, A Thomas3, S Bhat4, M Vaz1 and A V Kurpad1
- 1Division of Nutrition, Maternal and Child Health Unit, St John's Research Institute, St John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India
- 2GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd, Gurgaon, India
- 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St John's Medical College Hospital, St John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India
- 4Department of Pediatrics, St John's Medical College Hospital, St John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore, India
Correspondence: Dr S Muthayya, Division of Nutrition, Maternal and Child Health Unit, St John's Research Institute, St John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Koramangala, Bangalore, Karnataka 560034, India. E-mail: sumithra@iphcr.res.in
Received 8 August 2007; Revised 23 August 2007; Accepted 29 August 2007; Published online 24 October 2007.
Abstract
Background:
Inadequate consumption of fish could be a risk factor for low birth weight (LBW). This study assessed fish intake and 
-3 LCPUFA intake and status for their association with LBW in a cohort of urban, south Indian pregnant women.
Subjects/methods:
In a prospective cohort study, data on maternal fish intake and -3 LCPUFA intake and status of 676 women were obtained at baseline (first trimester), the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Infant birth weight was measured immediately following hospital delivery. The dropout rate was 7.6%.
Results:
Fifty-six percent of the study women consumed fish with low daily median intakes (3.4, 4.1 and 3.8 g day-1 at the three trimesters, respectively). Consequently, the median intakes of EPA and DHA during pregnancy were also low at 2.1 and 10.1 mg day-1, respectively. EPA and DHA intakes were associated with their status in erythrocyte membrane phospholipids during pregnancy (r=0.40 and 0.36, r=0.34 and 0.32 and r=0.37 and 0.41, at the three trimesters, respectively, all P<0.001). Women who did not eat fish during the third trimester had a significantly higher risk of LBW (OR: 2.49, P=0.019). Similarly, low EPA intake during the third trimester had an association with a higher risk of LBW (OR: 2.75, P=0.011).
Conclusions:
Among low fish-eating pregnant women, fish intake in the third trimester was closely associated with birth weight. Supplementation with -3 LCPUFA during pregnancy may have important implications for fetal development in India.
Keywords:
low birth weight, pregnancy, fish, -3 fatty acids, DHA, India
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