Fish oils

[seasister]

I've bought VitalDHA from Zita West clinic. Pharmaceutical grade Omega 3 and 6 fish and tuna oils, for preconception pregnancy and breast-feeding. It says on the back, 'All oils used in Vital DHA are ultra-pure and molecularly distilled to test for the absence of known contaminants. All tuna oil is dolphin friendly and from sustainable stocks.'

Zita West is a leading womens/fertility clinic and this is her product. But obviously I'm worried about mercury/tuna - and haven't been eating it for that reason.I did call the clinic and say that, and they said of course, it's government approved etc etc.

This makes me sound really thick (and neurotic), but I am assuming that there's no problems with these oils for that reason and that they are only positive?

Thanks

Hi there

I can only help you from a fish (rather than supplement) angle - but the Food Standards Agency says you can safely eat two portions of oil-rich fish per week while pregnant(and to limit the amount of tuna you eat to no more than two tuna steaks a week or no more than four medium-size cans of tuna a week).

Check out: www.eatwell.gov.uk/agesandstages/pregnancy/whenyrpregnant/

Eating fish and shellfish is actually very good for your health and the development of babies so there's no need to exclude it. They contain beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and are high in protein and low in saturated fat - and taste yummy!

Good luck!

I'm really confused about this as well, i read that in your third trimester particularly you should take extra omega-3, as this is when baby's brain is developing. However, i know you're not meant to have cod liver oil, as it has a lot of vitamin A, which we're not meant to have.

Does your supplement list vit A? If so i wouldn't take it.

I know you can buy a version of pregnacare that includes omega 3 capsules, not sure if they're fish oil or what?

you should avoid fish liver oil and most "normal" fish (body) oil capsules as these have a lot of Vit A in them naturally or added to them.

Pharma-grade fish oil should have pollutants such as mercury removed, and that's why they cost a lot more.

I take pregnacare+omega, expensive but safer than fish/shelfish imo - FSA may say "2 portions a week are safe", but some fish have very high levels of Mercury and especially in the first trimester, might be safer to avoid altogether

forgot to add, the pregnacare+omega contains pharma-grade fish oil