Study: Omega-3s and Postpartum Depression

COPENHAGEN, DenmarkData from a large prospective cohort linked with high-quality registers showed little evidence to support an association between intake of fish or omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and postpartum depression (PPD) (Am J Clin Nutr. 2009;90:149-55). Exposure information from the Danish National Birth Cohort (DNBC) was linked to the Danish patient and prescription registries for data on clinically identified cases of depression up to one year postpartum. Intake of fish and omega3 PUFAs was assessed in mid-pregnancy with a food-frequency questionnaire. Admission to the hospital for PPD (PPD-admission) and prescription of antidepressants (PPD-prescription) were treated as separate outcomes. A total of 54,202 women were included in the present study sample. Rates of depression were 0.3 percent (PPD-admission) and 1.6 percent (PPD-prescription). No association was observed between fish intake and risk of PPD-admission, whereas a higher risk of PPD-prescription was found for the lowest compared with the highest fish intake group. No association was observed with respect to n3 PUFA intake.