Nutrition
Conditions
Keywords
Docosahexaenoic acid, fish, pregnancy, methylmercury, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid
Brief summary
The overall goal of this project is to establish a pilot study to develop and refine an intervention to promote consumption of fish low in mercury and high in n-3 PUFA among pregnant women. The investigators will demonstrate our ability to recruit pregnant women, influence their fish consumption, and measure changes in nutrient and toxicant biomarkers.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALDietary advice
Dietary advice regarding consumption of low mercury, high DHA fish
BEHAVIORALControl
Advice regarding healthful diet during pregnancy, not focused on fish intake
Sponsors
Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)
Harvard University
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* age 18 years or older * Currently pregnant 12-22 weeks * Singleton pregnancy * Consuming fish \<=2 times per month
Exclusion criteria
* Inability to answer questionnaires in English * Plans to leave study area prior to delivery * Would never eat fish (e.g. vegan, allergy to fish)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Plasma elongated n-3 PUFA levels | 12 weeks | Change in plasma levels of elongated n-3 PUFA from recruitment to follow up at 12 weeks |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Whole blood mercury | 12 weeks | Change in whole blood total mercury level from recruitment to 12 weeks |
| Fish consumption | 12 weeks | Change in fish consumption from recruitment to 12 weeks |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed