Identifying women who may benefit from higher dose omega-3 supplementation during pregnancy to reduce their risk of prematurity: exploratory analyses from the ORIP trial

ObjectivesThe risk factors for prematurity are multifactorial and include low omega-3 status. Omega-3 supplementation in pregnancy has been found to reduce prematurity risk, particularly among women with low omega-3 levels. This study aimed to identify maternal characteristics that predict whether women with a singleton pregnancy will benefit from omega-3 supplementation to reduce their risk of prematurity.DesignExploratory analyses of a multicentre, double-blind randomised trial.Setting6 tertiary care centres in four states in Australia.Participants5328 singleton pregnancies in 5305 women recruited before 20 weeks of gestation.InterventionsFish oil capsules containing 900 mg omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids per day versus vegetable oil capsules consumed from enrolment until 34 weeks’ gestation.Outcome measuresEarly preterm birth (EPTB,