Preterm Baby Vision: Fatty Acid Benefits
Preterm babies given omega-3 adn omega-6 fatty acid supplements experience improved vision, according to a new study. Researchers discovered that these supplements considerably enhance visual function in babies born prematurely, impacting their progress by age two and a half. Teh study, involving 178 extremely preterm babies in Sweden, found that the supplements positively influenced the brain’s ability to interpret visual details. This breakthrough could reshape neonatal care guidelines.News Directory 3 reports on the study, published in the Lancet Regional Health Europe.These findings highlight the importance of fatty acids, and how they are critical to premature infant development. Wondering what’s next for these infants? Discover what’s next as the researchers continue to evaluate the long-term cognitive benefits.
Omega Fatty Acids Show promise in Preterm Infant Visual Development
Gothenburg, Sweden – A new study from the University of Gothenburg indicates that providing preterm babies with a combination of omega-3 fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids can significantly improve their visual function by the time they reach two and a half years old. The research, published in the Lancet Regional Health Europe, could influence neonatal care guidelines.
The study, conducted between 2016 and 2019, followed 178 extremely preterm babies-those born before the 28th week of pregnancy-across university hospitals in Gothenburg, Lund, and Stockholm. Researchers found that infants given oral supplements containing arachidonic acid (AA),an omega-6 fatty acid,and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA),an omega-3 fatty acid,demonstrated better visual skills.
notably, standard supplements given to preterm babies immediately after birth typically do not include AA or DHA. Previous findings from the same research group showed that the combination supplement reduced the risk of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a potentially blinding eye disease, by half. The current study assessed the children’s visual development at two and a half years, adjusted for prematurity.
Pia Lundgren, an associate professor at the University of Gothenburg’s Sahlgrenska Academy and chief physician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, led the study.
“The study shows that children who have received the combination supplement had improved visual function, regardless of whether or not they had previously had ROP,” lundgren said. “The improved visual development was thus not only due to the beneficial affect on the retina. The supplement also seems to have improved the brain’s ability to interpret visual impressions.”
The findings come at a time when nutrition and supplementation for extremely preterm babies is a key topic in neonatal care worldwide. Sweden is currently updating its guidelines for fatty acid supplements for this vulnerable population, informed in part by this new research.
What’s next
Researchers plan to continue studying the same group of children to evaluate the longer-term cognitive and neurological effects of the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid supplements.