Fish oils exept during pregnancy have long been known to be benefical to human health. During pregnancy, however its always wise to consider what health advice is best for mother and unborn baby. So in your opinion, should pregnant woman take fish oil supplements?

The cod liver oil that we were forced to consumer as children growing up is not equivalent to omega 3 fish oil. Oils from fish livers, such as that from cod livers, contain vitamins A and D. Pure fish oil does not have these vitamins in it. Women who are pregnant or who may become pregnant should take fish oil supplements that don't contain A or D.

Fish oil supplements which are made from the flesh of fish are safe for expectant mother to take. In fact, fish oil of this type has been shown to have positive effects on the health of the unborn child as well as the mother. In particular, the intake of a substance called omega 3 is recommended during pregnancy.

It is essential for all expectant mothers to include omega 3 liberally in diet during whole last trimester of pregnancy. It is already proved that 8% of human brain is composed of such type of fatty acids. These fatty acids help in development of brain and eyes of the child to be born. It is also proved by some studies that low omega 3 intake in pregnancy lower child's IQ, improper hand - eye coordination and difficulty in making friends.

These days, health literature often writes about the essential Omega 3 fatty acids. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are the beneficial elements in Omega 3. Since the human body is incapable of manufacturing Omega 3 fatty acids, it must be ingested in the form of food or diets supplements. Fish such as sardines, salmon and mackerel provides lots of Omega 3. On the other hand, because of the high concentrations of metal in fish, consuming fish during pregnancy is not without concerns.

Some plants, in particular flax and pumpkin seeds, contain ALA, which is an omega 3 fatty acid, but the body is not able to convert the ALA into a usable form in the amount that meets the recommended intake for pregnant women. In order to ensure that expectant mothers are getting enough it is advisable to take supplements made form the flesh of fish which contain the oils.

Omega 3 benefits during pregnancy are not limited to the child - it has also been shown to alleviate depression which is all too common among mothers-to-be. There are many companies which market high quality fish oil supplements suitable for pregnant women. These are guaranteed to be free from fish liver oils and have been processed so that the oils are more easily absorbed by the body. There are so many benefits to taking omega 3 supplements during pregnancy that it would be foolish not to consider them.