Eat More Fish To Fight Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is often a distressing side effect of having a newborn. But help is at hand. Research shows that eating more fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids may help offset those down-in-the dumps feelings.

Women are at the highest risk of depression during their childbearing years, and the birth of a child may trigger a depressive episode in vulnerable women. Postpartum depression is associated with diminished maternal health as well as developmental and health problems for her child.

“The literature shows that there could be a link between pregnancy, omega-3 and the chemical reaction that enables serotonin, a mood regulator, to be released into our brains,” says researcher Gabriel Shapiro. “Many women could bring their omega-3 intake to recommended levels.”

Because omega-3 is transferred from the mother to her fetus and later to her breastfeeding infant, maternal omega-3 levels decrease during pregnancy and remain low for at least six weeks following the birth. Complicating matters, women and men in the U.S. generally don’t consume sufficient amounts of omega-3.