Maternal and Infant Outcomes of Antenatal Omega Fatty Acids Supplementation: A Systematic Review

Some authors suggest that antenatal omega fatty acid supplementation could mitigate the risk of preeclampsia and premature births, but evidence regarding its efficacy in preventing other pregnancy and birth complications remains uncertain. This systematic review employed the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) framework to address the research problem: “Among pregnant women, what is the impact of antenatal omega fatty acids supplementation compared to placebo on maternal and infant outcomes (Preeclampsia, pregnancy duration, gestation at birth, birth weight, birth length, head circumference, Apgar score, and growth rate, and hospitalization rate)?” Adhering to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, studies from 2014 to 2024 in PubMed and ScienceDirect were reviewed. The search strategy involved combining free-text search terms and Boolean operators for refinement. Relevant data were extracted using the matrix method. From 57 identified studies, 13 met the eligibility criteria for inclusion. The evidence synthesis revealed that the impact of antenatal omega fatty acids supplementation on maternal and infant outcomes is mixed, with some evidence suggesting benefits in pregnancy duration, preterm birth, and newborn hospitalization rates. The existing evidence thereof remains inconclusive. Cautious consideration of omega fatty acids supplementation in antenatal care is recommended.