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
