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Preterm birth, defined as delivery before 37 completed weeks’ gestation, is the leading cause of death in children under five years of age. Preterm birth affects nearly 15 million babies worldwide, of which 26 000 are in Australia. Of these, an estimated 30% are defined as early preterm birth (< 34 completed weeks’ gestation), with this subgroup experiencing the highest rates of mortality and morbidity. Despite targeted research and interventions, preterm birth rates have remained mostly unchanged.

Decades of research involving more than 70 randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have reported that omega‐3 supplementation during pregnancy reduces the rate of preterm birth. These data have potential to be translated into an effective population‐based strategy to prevent preterm birth globally. Unfortunately, implementation of this strategy is not straightforward, as recent data suggest that the benefit of omega‐3 supplementation appears to be limited to individuals with low omega‐3 levels and may cause harm to pregnant women who are replete.

This MJA Perspective shares more.

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Authors: Joanna YX Fu, Carol A Wang, Elyse C Mead, Jason Phung, Maria Makrides and Craig E Pennell

Article Type: Perspective