Protocol for assessing if behavioural functioning of infants born <29 weeks' gestation is improved by omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids: follow-up of a randomised controlled trial.

Jacqueline F Gould; Rachel M Roberts; Peter J Anderson; Maria Makrides; Thomas R Sullivan; Robert A Gibson; Andrew J McPhee; Lex William Doyle; Gillian Opie; Javeed Travadi; Jeanie LY Cheong; Peter G Davis; Mary Sharp; Karen Simmer; Kenneth Tan; Scott Morris; Kei Lui; Srinivas Bolisetty; Helen Liley; Jacqueline Stack; Karen P Best; Carmel T Collins

Journal article

Protocol for assessing if behavioural functioning of infants born <29 weeks' gestation is improved by omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids: follow-up of a randomised controlled trial.

Jacqueline F Gould, Rachel M Roberts, Peter J Anderson, Maria Makrides, Thomas R Sullivan, Robert A Gibson, Andrew J McPhee, Lex William Doyle, Gillian Opie, Javeed Travadi, Jeanie LY Cheong, Peter G Davis, Mary Sharp, Karen Simmer, Kenneth Tan, Scott Morris, Kei Lui, Srinivas Bolisetty, Helen Liley, Jacqueline Stack Show all

BMJ Open | BMJ | Published : 2021

DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-044740

Download PDF

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: During the last trimester of pregnancy, the fetal brain undergoes a rapid growth spurt and accumulates essential nutrients including docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). This takes place ex-utero for infants born <29 weeks' gestation, without the in-utero provisions of DHA. Infants born <29 weeks' are more likely to experience behavioural and emotional difficulties than their term-born counterparts. It has been hypothesised that supplementing preterm infants with dietary DHA may alleviate insufficiency and subsequently prevent or minimise behavioural problems. This protocol describes a follow-up of infants born <29 weeks gestation who were enrolled in a randomised controlled trial (RCT)..

View full abstract