Low-income pregnant women often experience chronic stress and consequently higher levels of
stress hormones. In utero exposure to high levels of stress hormones can negatively affect
the developing fetus and the infant's capacity for emotion and behavioral regulation. This
program of research is designed to reduce the negative impact of prenatal stress on infant
health and development via nutritional supplementation of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) during
pregnancy. DHA is a long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid member of the omega-3 fatty acid
family. DHA is found in its highest concentrations in neural cell membranes, affecting
receptor function, neurotransmitter uptake, and signal transmission. There is growing
evidence that low levels of dietary DHA intake are associated with suboptimal response to
stress and that DHA supplementation can modulate stress response.
One hundred sixty-two pregnant women will be randomly assigned to receive 450 mg/daily of DHA
or placebo beginning at 9-12 weeks of gestation through the end of pregnancy. Perceived
stress, stressful life events, anxiety, and depression, inflammatory markers, DHA levels and
response to a laboratory stressor will be assessed at baseline and at 24, 30, and 36 weeks of
pregnancy. Neonatal outcomes (e.g., gestational age, birth weight, delivery complications)
will be collected from medical records, and infant neurodevelopmental outcomes and stress
reactivity will be assessed at 1, 4 and 9 months of age. Coded data will be analyzed by the
Investigators at University of Chicago and University of Pittsburgh
