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According to a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, Omega-3 fatty acid supplements may reduce depressive symptoms for pregnant women diagnosed with severe depression.
The study was conducted at China Medical University Hospital in taiwan, and involved 24 women, 13 who were given the Omega-3 fatty acid supplements to treat their pregnancy-related depression, and 11 who were given a placebo.
After 8 weeks, the women given the Omega 3 supplements had significantly lower scores on a standardized depression scale compared to the women in the placebo group. Perhaps more surprising, 62% of the women given the Omega 3 supplements showed improvements in their depression, compared with only 27% in the placebo group.
In the article, Chinese doctors note that “depression has been reported to be associated with the abonormality of Omega-3 fatty acids,” and they believe that during pregnancy, the requirements of the unborn child may drain a pregnant woman of these essential nutrients.
The study shows promise, but as the researches note, further test are needed, and on a larger scale, before physicians should begin making recommendations for fatty acids to significantly depressed pregnant women.
Sources: Reuters & The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, April 2008.
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