Lead: Professor Maria Makrides
SAHMRI Women and Kids have identified that omega-3 fatty acid (fish/algal oil) supplementation for women expecting a single baby can reduce early preterm birth by about a third. This project has attracted a media storm of positive national and international publicity stemming from the project team reviewing 70 clinical trials from around the world and their findings as a Cochrane Review.
During extensive engagement with pregnant women and antenatal health professionals, the need to raise awareness around premature birth and its consequences was identified as a priority. To meet these needs, we have developed initial advice on dose and timing with informational materials (available at https://www. sahmriresearch.org/omega3) in collaboration with our Community Board and health professionals. The team is now working on identifying which women (e.g. those with low omega-3 levels) will benefit most from fish/algal oil supplementation and how to easily identify these women through dried blood spot technology.