Q: I am 4 months pregnant and have been taking a prenatal vitamin prescribed by my doctor. It has something in it called DHA. What is that?
A: DHA stands for docosahexaenoic acid which is an omega-3 fatty acid that is a primary structural component of the brain. It is found in the body and is most abundant in the brain, eyes, and heart. It is also naturally found in breastmilk and in the meat of cold-water fish such as salmon. DHA is essential for growth and development of the brain in infants, so it is important that pregnant women start taking a prenatal vitamin that has DHA.
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A special thank you to Pharmacy Student Janie Deroche for help with answering this question.
