A new study reveals that those women, who take fish oil supplements throughout their pregnancy, boost the immune system of their babies.  Somehow, the babies develop resistance to common colds.

Expectant mothers, who take DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid, found in fish oil bore children that are resistant to sickness.  Babies, whose mother takes DHA tends to become stronger against sickness compares to other babies, whose mothers, were not taking fish oil supplements. If ever they got sick, it would take less time than the babies, whose mother never takes a fish oil supplement.

Although, it does not show any significant difference between the moms who have taken the supplement and the other not taking any supplement, the difference is crucial.  For example, a month-old infant who got common cold spent the full day coughing; however, the time now greatly reduced.

The study’s lead author, Usha Ramakrishnan, a researcher in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, quickly acknowledge that DHA is not a cure for colds. However, frequent usage of fish oil supplement might have a positive impact for the babies.

Ramakrishnan says their findings suggest a possible benefit.

Ramakrishnan, together with her colleagues conducted the study on over 800 Mexican women, who are under their second trimester of pregnancy.  Around half of the women get 400 milligrams of DHA everyday starting in the second trimester. The other women get placebos.

The mom, who participated in the studies is going to be interviewed at intervals of  one month, three months and six months interval after the after the infants got  born. Researchers also asked if their babies have experienced common cold during those times.

In the first month, of the newly born-babies, whose mother took DHA experiences respiratory symptoms, but was shorter than the other babies has endured.

Ramakrishnan  points out that omega-3 fatty acids affects the function of a host of different kinds of cells.

Since the research is still in its early stage, researchers cannot come up with a durable conclusion.  Although the early research suggested that DHA supplements boosted the development in babies, but a large study, which got published, last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association stated there  is no such development occurring.

Chief of the division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Health System, Dr. Samuel Parry, do not recommend it to his patient as the doctor still waiting for more evidence that would prove the authenticity of the report.