A randomized controlled study of the efficacy of 4 weeks of supplementation with [omega]-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in cases of unexplained oligohydramnios

Objective: To investigate the effect of [omega]-3 fatty acids on amniotic fluid volume and uterine artery blood flow after 4 weeks of treatment. Study Design: A randomized clinical trial was conducted on 140 participants with unexplained oligohydramnios at Woman's Health Hospital, Assiut University, Egypt. Participants were randomly assigned to [omega]-3 plus capsules or placebo. Categorical variables were analyzed by means of the [chi][sup.2] test, whereas continuous variables were analyzed by means of the independent-sample T-test between the two groups. Results: One hundred and forty women were recruited. There was significant improvement in the amniotic fluid index (AFI) in the [omega]-3 plus group in comparison with the placebo group (P=0.001). Moreover, there were significant decreases in the systolic/diastolic ratio (P=0.01), resistance index (P=0.041) and pulsatility index (P=0.002) of the uterine arteries in the [omega]-3 plus group when comparing baseline values with those after 4 weeks. Conclusion: The results suggest that [omega]-3 fatty acids may have a role in the increase in AFI in cases of unexplained oligohydramnios. This effect may be secondary to the increase in uterine blood flow. Journal of Perinatology (2016) 36, 944-947; doi: 10.1038/jp.2016.134; published online 25 August 2016