"200mg daily DHA for infants," new guidelines

New recommendations published in the January 2008 issue of the Journal of Perinatal Medicine recommend that the fetus and neonate should receive long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) in amounts sufficient to support optimal visual and cognitive development. Moreover, the consumption of oils rich in omega-3 LC-PUFA during pregnancy reduces the risk for early premature birth.

The guidelines, which are supported by the World Association of Perinatal Medicine and the Child Health Foundation, suggest that pregnant and lactating women should aim for an average daily intake of at least 200mg docosahexaenoic acid. For healthy-term infants, the authors recommend and fully endorse breastfeeding, which supplies preformed LC-PUFA, as the preferred method. When this is not possible, they advise the use of an infant formula with DHA at levels between 0.2 and 0.5 weight percent of total fat and the minimum amount of arachidonic acid.