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Marine n-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake in Pregnancy and Risk of Early Life Infections in 3 Nordic Cohorts : A HEDIMED Consortium Study

Rantala, Aino K ; Hakola, Leena ; Brustad, Nicklas ; Tapia, German ; Hård Af Segerstad, Elin M LU orcid ; Lehtonen, Jussi ; Thorsen, Jonathan ; Åkerlund, Mari ; Parr, Christine L and Magnus, Maria C , et al. (2026) In The Journal of nutrition
Abstract

BACKGROUND: n-3 (ω-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) have anti-inflammatory effects that may influence immune-mediated diseases.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether higher maternal pregnancy intake of n-3 LCPUFA is associated with a lower incidence of infection in young children.

METHODS: We used data from 3 Nordic cohorts: the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort study (MoBa, n = 76,026), the Finnish Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Study (DIPP, n = 560), and the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood 2010 cohort (COPSAC2010, n = 680). Childhood infections up to age 36 mo were assessed using questionnaires in MoBa, coxsackievirus B 1-6 (CVB1-6) neutralizing antibodies in DIPP, and... (More)

BACKGROUND: n-3 (ω-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) have anti-inflammatory effects that may influence immune-mediated diseases.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether higher maternal pregnancy intake of n-3 LCPUFA is associated with a lower incidence of infection in young children.

METHODS: We used data from 3 Nordic cohorts: the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort study (MoBa, n = 76,026), the Finnish Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Study (DIPP, n = 560), and the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood 2010 cohort (COPSAC2010, n = 680). Childhood infections up to age 36 mo were assessed using questionnaires in MoBa, coxsackievirus B 1-6 (CVB1-6) neutralizing antibodies in DIPP, and pathogenic viral PCR identification from acute respiratory episodes in COPSAC2010. Maternal n-3 LCPUFA intake was assessed through validated food frequency questionnaires in MoBa and DIPP, whereas COPSAC2010 used a randomized trial design where pregnant women received fish oil capsules or a placebo.

RESULTS: Higher n-3 LCPUFA intake was not significantly associated with lower respiratory tract infection (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR]: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.94-1.03) but was associated with a reduced risk of upper respiratory tract infections (aIRR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98-0.99) and gastroenteritis (aIRR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.95-0.98) per g/d up to age 36 mo in MoBa. The DIPP study found no association between n-3 LCPUFA intake and having ≥1 CVB infection (adjusted odds ratio: 1.74; 95% CI: 0.64-4.72, per g/d). The COPSAC2010 trial found no significant effects of the intervention for pathogen-specific respiratory episodes (IRR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.69-1.07).

CONCLUSIONS: This study does not provide consistent evidence that higher maternal n-3 LCPUFA pregnancy intake reduces the risk of infections in early childhood.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: This trial was registered as NCT00798226, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00798226.

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publication status
epub
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in
The Journal of nutrition
article number
101456
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:41771441
ISSN
1541-6100
DOI
10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101456
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Copyright © 2026 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
id
fc88940d-ced9-4c11-9b71-c90f71692165
date added to LUP
2026-03-18 14:50:39
date last changed
2026-03-19 03:10:32
@article{fc88940d-ced9-4c11-9b71-c90f71692165,
  abstract     = {{<p>BACKGROUND: n-3 (ω-3) long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFAs) have anti-inflammatory effects that may influence immune-mediated diseases.</p><p>OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether higher maternal pregnancy intake of n-3 LCPUFA is associated with a lower incidence of infection in young children.</p><p>METHODS: We used data from 3 Nordic cohorts: the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort study (MoBa, n = 76,026), the Finnish Diabetes Prediction and Prevention Study (DIPP, n = 560), and the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood 2010 cohort (COPSAC2010, n = 680). Childhood infections up to age 36 mo were assessed using questionnaires in MoBa, coxsackievirus B 1-6 (CVB1-6) neutralizing antibodies in DIPP, and pathogenic viral PCR identification from acute respiratory episodes in COPSAC2010. Maternal n-3 LCPUFA intake was assessed through validated food frequency questionnaires in MoBa and DIPP, whereas COPSAC2010 used a randomized trial design where pregnant women received fish oil capsules or a placebo.</p><p>RESULTS: Higher n-3 LCPUFA intake was not significantly associated with lower respiratory tract infection (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR]: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.94-1.03) but was associated with a reduced risk of upper respiratory tract infections (aIRR: 0.99; 95% CI: 0.98-0.99) and gastroenteritis (aIRR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.95-0.98) per g/d up to age 36 mo in MoBa. The DIPP study found no association between n-3 LCPUFA intake and having ≥1 CVB infection (adjusted odds ratio: 1.74; 95% CI: 0.64-4.72, per g/d). The COPSAC2010 trial found no significant effects of the intervention for pathogen-specific respiratory episodes (IRR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.69-1.07).</p><p>CONCLUSIONS: This study does not provide consistent evidence that higher maternal n-3 LCPUFA pregnancy intake reduces the risk of infections in early childhood.</p><p>CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: This trial was registered as NCT00798226, https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT00798226.</p>}},
  author       = {{Rantala, Aino K and Hakola, Leena and Brustad, Nicklas and Tapia, German and Hård Af Segerstad, Elin M and Lehtonen, Jussi and Thorsen, Jonathan and Åkerlund, Mari and Parr, Christine L and Magnus, Maria C and Lund-Blix, Nicolai A and Stokholm, Jakob and Knip, Mikael and Toppari, Jorma and Størdal, Ketil and Veijola, Riitta and Hyöty, Heikki and Virtanen, Suvi M and Bønnelykke, Klaus and Stene, Lars C}},
  issn         = {{1541-6100}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{The Journal of nutrition}},
  title        = {{Marine n-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Intake in Pregnancy and Risk of Early Life Infections in 3 Nordic Cohorts : A HEDIMED Consortium Study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101456}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101456}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}