Eating Fish During Pregnancy May Cut Offspring's Autism Risk, Not Omega-3: Study Says

Prenatal consumption of fish may reduce autism risk in children, but omega-3 supplements may not have the same effect, a recent study revealed.

Including fish in the diet during pregnancy is linked to a 20% reduction in the risk of autism spectrum disorder and a decreased risk of autism-related traits in children, with particularly notable benefits for female offspring, according to the study published in the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition.

"Our study contributes to a growing body of evidence that demonstrates the role that prenatal diet can play in autism-related outcomes in offspring," said the researcher Dr. Emily Oken in a news release.

To understand how intake of fish and omega-3 supplements during pregnancy affects neurodevelopmental outcomes, researchers evaluated the dietary information of around 4,000 participants. Based on the frequency of fish consumption, the participants were grouped into four: less than once a month, more than once a month but less than weekly, weekly, and two or more servings per week.

Around 25% of them never ate fish or consumed it less than once a month, and most of the participants never took omega-3 fish oil supplements during their pregnancy.

The researchers then examined the incidence of autism diagnoses in children and parent-reported autism-related traits, which were measured using the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), a widely used survey completed by parents or caregivers.

"Consuming fish during pregnancy was associated with a lower likelihood of offspring being diagnosed with autism and a slight decrease in total SRS scores compared to not eating fish. These results were consistent across all levels of fish consumption, from "any" amount or "less than once per week" to "more than twice per week," the news release stated.

However, the researchers could not find any significant association between omega-3 conception and autism diagnosis, or traits.

"This study provides yet more evidence for the safety and benefit of regular fish consumption during pregnancy. Other proven benefits include lower risk for preterm birth and improved cognitive development," said Dr. Oken.

"Given the low fish intake in the United States general population and the rising autism prevalence, these findings suggest the need for better public health messaging regarding guidelines on fish intake for pregnant individuals," the researchers concluded.