Fish oil may prevent allergies in baby

Fish-oil supplements taken during pregnancy can help prevent allergies in babies at high risk. It has been found that babies whose mothers took fish oil had lesser immune reactions to common allergy triggers and, were less prone to allergies at 1 year of age.In general, pregnant women are advised against taking any medication or supplement unless the benefit is known to outweigh any potential risk to the fetus. Pregnant women should always consult their doctor before taking drugs or supplements. Children with a family history of allergies are at an increased risk of developing them. Since omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory properties, they may affect the developing immune system in a way that makes it less prone to allergic reactions.Researchers from the University of Western Australia, looked at whether fish-oil capsules - rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids - might help prevent the development of allergies in babies born to women with a history of hay fever or asthma. The 98 pregnant women in the study group took either fish-oil capsules or, for comparison, capsules containing olive oil. The women took four capsules per day from the 20th week of pregnancy until delivery. Analysing cells taken from the babies' umbilical cord blood, they found greater amounts of omega-3 fats in the cell membranes of newborns whose mothers took fish-oil supplements. In addition, their immune cells tended to have a weaker reaction to allergy-producing substances, compared with babies in the comparison group. At 1 year, infants whose mothers took fish oil were three times less likely to show sensitivity to egg during skin tests used to detect allergies. Babies in the fish-oil group were more likely to develop the allergic skin condition eczema; but among infants with eczema, those in the fish-oil group were much less likely to have a severe case.

Although it is too soon to recommend the supplements for pregnant women, but the findings lay the groundwork for larger, longer-term studies of whether fish oil can reduce childhood allergies.

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