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The efficacy and safety of omega-3 fatty acids on depressive symptoms in perinatal women: A meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials
While the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids in major depressive disorder (MDD) has been established, Zhang et al. (2020) point out the lack of data on the safety and efficacy of its mono-therapeutic use in perinatal depression (depression in new mothers following birth of newborn). This meta-analysis included 8 randomized placebo-controlled trials (totaling 638 participants) that analyzed the efficacy and safety of omega-3 fatty acid monotherapy in perinatal women with depressive symptoms. There is reason to believe that omega-3 fatty acids significantly affect perinatal depression, particularly when considering omega-3 with a higher ratio of EPA/DHA (≥1.5) in both mild-to-moderate antenatal and postpartum depression. Safety was not found to be an issue, with low occurrence rates and no significant difference in prevalence of gastrointestinal and neurologic problems between the omega-3 and placebo groups. Moreover, there was no evidence of publication bias. This meta-analysis suggests that omega-3 fatty acids significantly enhance depressive symptoms in perinatal women regardless of timing (during pregnancy or following birth) and are well tolerated. Another notable point was that this omega-3 response was linked to higher EPA ratio in omega-3 formula and mild-to-moderate depression. [NPID: postpartum mental health, nutrients in pregnancy, pregnancy, omega-3s, MDD, major depressive disorder, perinatal depression, depression, postpartum depression, fatty acids, EPA, DHA]
Year: 2020
