Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation affects pregnancy outcomes in gestational diabetes: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Objective: This study was designed to assess the effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on inflammatory factors, biomarkers of oxidative stress, and pregnancy outcomes among pregnant women with gestational diabetes (GDM).Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed among 56 women with GDM. Subjects were randomly selected to receive either 1000mg omega-3 fatty acid supplements (containing 180mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 120mg docosahexanoic acid) (n=27) or a placebo (n=27) for 6 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken at study baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention to quantify biochemical variables. Newborn's weight, height, head circumference, Apgar score, and hyperbilirubinemia were determined.Results: At the end of the 6 weeks, taking omega-3 fatty acid significantly decreased serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (change from baseline: -245.11570.5 versus+913.9 +/- 2329.4ng/mL, p=0.03) and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations (-0.4 +/- 1.3 versus+0.6 +/- 2.3, p=0.04) compared with the placebo. Supplementation with omega-3 had a low incidence of hyperbilirubinemiain newborns (7.7% versus 33.3%, p=0.02) and decreased newborns' hospitalization rate (7.7% versus 33.3%, p=0.02).Conclusions: Taken together, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in GDM women had beneficial effects on maternal serum hs-CRP, plasma MDA levels, incidence of newborn's hyperbilirubinemia, and hospitalization.