Pregnancy nutrients: How DHA and Choline support placenta health and baby’s brain development
Key foods and the pregnancy supplement which boosts DHA and choline.
Whether you’re planning a pregnancy, or you’ve just found out you’re expecting, getting the optimal nutrients for you and your growing baby is essential.
Two important lesser-known nutrients needed through the pre-conception and pregnancy journey are DHA and Choline. While DHA and Choline is present in some foods, many women may not get adequate levels, especially during pregnancy. If a woman is not getting enough of these nutrients through diet alone then supplementation may be required for a nutritional boost.
So, what is DHA and why is it important?
The first 1000 days of life, from conception to a child’s second birthday, is a critical period of opportunity for laying the foundations for future health. DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid which is essential during this time for healthy brain and central nervous system development.
Our bodies cannot make DHA, it can only be obtained through foods such as oily fish, seafood and seaweed. It can be difficult for pregnant women to get enough DHA in their diet due to fears around mercury levels or the risks associated with raw fish.
While there is no recommended daily intake (RDI) for DHA (alone) in pregnancy, local and international guidelines recognise that it is an important nutrient during pre-conception, pregnancy, and breastfeeding, and that many women may not obtain enough from food sources. The National Health and Medical Research Council recommends that pregnant women get around 110-115mg/day of total fats (DHA+EPA+DPA)1. The European Food Safety Authority recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women take 100-200mg DHA per day, in addition to recommendations for healthy adults (200mg is roughly equivalent to one tin of tuna (95g))2.
To help women planning pregnancy or who are currently pregnant reach the levels of DHA their bodies need, supplementation with Elevit DHA & Choline Pregnancy can support the health of both mother and baby.
What is Choline and why is it important?
Choline is an essential nutrient during pregnancy and plays an important role supporting foetal brain development, as well as supporting maternal placenta health. Like DHA, choline cannot be made in an adequate quantity by the body and must be obtained through foods like egg yolks, fish, poultry, lean red meat, legumes, nuts and cruciferous veggies.
Interestingly only about 5% of women of childbearing age are achieving the recommended choline intakes3 of 425mg/day4, so that’s an incredible 95% who aren’t. For women who are struggling to get enough choline in their diet, a supplement with choline may provide additional support.
Choline can be obtained through foods like egg yolks, fish, poultry, lean red meat, legumes, nuts and cruciferous veggies.
The benefits of Elevit DHA & Choline Pregnancy
Elevit DHA & Choline Pregnancy* is a scientific formulation designed to support women in reaching the optimal levels of DHA & Choline during the pregnancy journey.
Key benefits include supporting:
- Mother’s pre-conception health and placenta growth
- Healthy foetal brain development
- Healthy foetal central nervous system development
Elevit DHA & Choline Pregnancy contains 200 milligrams of DHA and 110 milligrams of choline to help meet the needs of women planning pregnancy (pre-conception), who are currently pregnant and breastfeeding women. Take one capsule daily or directed by your healthcare professional. Note Elevit DHA and Choline Pregnancy is suitable to be used in combination with Elevit Pre-conception & Pregnancy multivitamin, it is not a replacement. Elevit Breastfeeding multivitamin already contains DHA, so should not be taken together with Elevit DHA & Choline Pregnancy.
Elevit’s DHA comes from algal oil, a fish-free, sustainable plant-source of this important nutrient. This means no fishy aftertaste or smell, which may occur with some DHA/Omega 3 supplements.
Elevit DHA and Choline Pregnancy contains a high dose of choline to support mums in reaching their recommended daily intake of choline, to support placental health and baby’s development. No other pregnancy supplement available in pharmacy contains more choline, as at November 2022.
Elevit DHA & Choline Pregnancy supports mum’s pre-conception health and placenta growth, and baby’s brain development and function.
*Advise your doctor of any medicine you take during your pregnancy, particularly in your first trimester. Always read the label and follow directions for use.
Brought to you by Elevit – the experts in pregnancy nutrition.
1. National Health and Medical Research Council. Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary Intakes, 2006.
2. European Food Safety Authority, Scientific Opinion, EFSA Journal 2010; 8(3):1461.
3. Derbyshire E, Obeid R, Schon C. Habitual Choline Intakes across childbearing years: A review. Nutrients. 2021;13(12):4390.
4. Choline | Nutrient Reference Values (nrv.gov.au)
