Trial reportAmerican journal of obstetrics and gynecology2013
The Mothers, Omega-3, and Mental Health Study: a double-blind, randomized controlled trial.
Trial report in American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 43 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Does EPA or DHA Prevent Depressive Symptoms in Pregnancy and Postpartum?
Explore Effects of Dietary Fish Oil in Human Skin
Who cites it
43 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 112 citations in OpenAlex.
- Safety of Supplementation of Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2023Pooled it
- Supplementation of Omega 3 during Pregnancy and the Risk of Preterm Birth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients · 2021Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Effects of Omega 3 Fatty Acids on Main Dimensions of Psychopathology.International journal of molecular sciences · 2020Pooled it
- Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: What is Their Role in Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders?International journal of molecular sciences · 2019Pooled it
- Omega-3 fatty acid addition during pregnancy.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018Pooled it
- Fish Oil Supplementation does not Reduce Risks of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension, or Pre-Eclampsia: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research · 2015Pooled it
- Role of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of depressive disorders: a comprehensive meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.PloS one · 2014Pooled it
- Dietary supplements for preventing postnatal depression.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2013Pooled it
- Effect of prenatal EPA and DHA on maternal and cord blood insulin sensitivity: a secondary analysis of the mothers, omega 3, and mental health study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2019Trial
- A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Trial of Omega-3 Fatty Acids as a Monotherapy for Adolescent Depression.The Journal of clinical psychiatry · 2018Trial
- Effect of prenatal EPA and DHA on maternal and umbilical cord blood cytokines.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2018Trial
- Omega-3 supplementation from pregnancy to postpartum to prevent depressive symptoms: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2017Trial
- Vitamin D levels and perinatal depressive symptoms in women at risk: a secondary analysis of the mothers, omega-3, and mental health study.BMC pregnancy and childbirth · 2016Trial
- Trial
- Comparative Efficacy of Interventions for the Prevention and Treatment of Postpartum Depression: A Bayesian Network Meta-analysis.Clinical psychopharmacology and neuroscience : the official scientific journal of the Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026Review
- Global Comparison of Erythrocyte EPA and DHA Concentrations in Pregnant Women.The Journal of nutrition · 2026Article
- The Korean Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (KSMBS) Position Statement on Female Candidates of Reproductive Age for Metabolic Bariatric Surgery.Journal of metabolic and bariatric surgery · 2025Review
- The effect of omega-3 fatty acid use on women's mental health in postpartum depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis study.Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) · 2025Article
- Nutritional Modulation of the Gut-Brain Axis: A Comprehensive Review of Dietary Interventions in Depression and Anxiety Management.Metabolites · 2024Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
14 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesMaternal deficiency of the omega-3 fatty acid, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), has been associated with perinatal depression, but there is evidence that supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) may be more effective than DHA in treating depressive symptoms. This trial tested the relative effects of EPA- and DHA-rich fish oils on prevention of depressive symptoms among pregnant women at an increased risk of depression. STUDY
designWe enrolled 126 pregnant women at risk for depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score 9-19 or a history of depression) in early pregnancy and randomly assigned them to receive EPA-rich fish oil (1060 mg EPA plus 274 mg DHA), DHA-rich fish oil (900 mg DHA plus 180 mg EPA), or soy oil placebo. Subjects completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview at enrollment, 26-28 weeks, 34-36 weeks, and at 6-8 weeks' postpartum. Serum fatty acids were analyzed at entry and at 34-36 weeks' gestation.
resultsOne hundred eighteen women completed the trial. There were no differences between groups in BDI scores or other depression endpoints at any of the 3 time points after supplementation. The EPA- and DHA-rich fish oil groups exhibited significantly increased postsupplementation concentrations of serum EPA and serum DHA respectively. Serum DHA- concentrations at 34-36 weeks were inversely related to BDI scores in late pregnancy.
conclusionEPA-rich fish oil and DHA-rich fish oil supplementation did not prevent depressive symptoms during pregnancy or postpartum.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.