Chinese researchers report that omega-3s may offer an alternative to antidepressant medications during pregnancy. The double-blind, placebo-controlled study involved 24 pregnant women with major depressive disorder.From one month prior to starting the study, no medications were used by the patients, who were then randomized to receive 3.4 g/d of omega-3 or placebo for8 weeks. By six and eight weeks, those in the omega-3 group had significantly lower scores for depressive symptoms on three common rating scales, compared with women taking placebo. The authors conclude that"Omega-3…may have therapeutic benefits in depression during pregnancy" and recommend further study.
Source: Clin Psychiatry, 2008, Mar 18; [Epubahead of print]