Dietary intakes of polyunsaturated fatty acids among pregnant Mexican women

Nutritional demands for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are high during pregnancy. Diets low in DHA and long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty‐acids (LC‐PUFA) in pregnancy are associated with poorer DHA status and slower reestablishment of maternal stores. To assess intakes of LC‐PUFA among urban pregnant women in Central Mexico, we conducted a cross‐sectional survey in Prenatal Clinic at the General Hospital No. 1 of the Mexican Society Security Institute, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. We ascertained intakes over past three months of 110 food items using a food frequency questionnaire developed for this population. Among 1364 pregnant women 18–35 years of age (mean age 26.2 ± 4.7 years) who were interviewed at 18–22 weeks gestation, median (inter‐quartile range) daily intakes of linoleic acid, alpha‐linolenic acid (LA), arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and DHA were 17.6 (13.6; 22.2) g, 1.4 (1.0; 2.0) g, 137 (102; 174) mg, 18 (10; 38) mg, and 55 (37; 99) mg respectively. The median ratio of n‐6 to n‐3 PUFA was 11.8:1. The main dietary contributions to DHA intake were eggs, chicken, and fresh canned fish. Intakes of PUFAs were higher among women who had completed high school (p