The Role of Fresh Beef Intake and Mediterranean Diet Adherence during Pregnancy in Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes.

Beef is an excellent source of nutrients important for maternal health and fetal development. It is also true that the Mediterranean diet is beneficial for the health of both the mother and offspring; however, the relative value of fresh beef intake within Mediterranean diet patterns during pregnancy is unknown. The objective of this project was two-fold: (1) assess the relationship between beef intake and nutrient intake in a pregnant population; (2) assess the relationship between maternal beef consumption among varying degrees of Mediterranean diet adherence with maternal risk of anemia and infant health outcomes. This is a secondary analysis of an existing cohort of pregnant women (n = 1076) who participated in one of two completed clinical trials examining the effect of a docosahexaenoic acid supplementation on birth and offspring outcomes. Women were enrolled between 12 and 20 weeks of gestation and were followed throughout their pregnancies to collect maternal and infant characteristics, food frequency questionnaires [providing beef intake and Mediterranean diet (MedD) adherence], and supplement intake. Women with the highest fresh beef intake had the highest intake of many micronutrients that are commonly deficient among pregnant women. Fresh beef intake alone was not related to any maternal or infant outcomes. There was a reduced risk of anemia among women with medium to high MedD quality and higher fresh beef intake. Women in the medium MedD group had 31% lower odds of anemia, and women in the high MedD group had 38% lower odds of anemia with every one-ounce increase in fresh beef intake, suggesting that diet quality indices may be misrepresenting the role of fresh beef within a healthy diet. These findings show that beef intake increases micronutrient intake and may be protective against maternal anemia when consumed within a healthy Mediterranean diet pattern.

Is choline deficiency an unrecognized factor in necrotizing enterocolitis of preterm infants?

We undertook this review to determine if it is plausible that choline or phosphatidylcholine (PC) deficiency is a factor in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) after two clinical trials found a dramatic and unexpected reduction in NEC in an experimental group provided higher PC compared to a control group. Sources and amounts of choline/PC for preterm infants are compared to the choline status of preterm infants at birth and following conventional nutritional management. The roles of choline/PC in intestinal structure, mucus, mesenteric blood flow, and the cholinergic anti-inflammatory system are summarized. Low choline/PC status is linked to prematurity/immaturity, parenteral and enteral feeding, microbial dysbiosis and hypoxia/ischemia, factors long associated with the risk of developing NEC. We conclude that low choline status exists in preterm infants provided conventional parenteral and enteral nutritional management, and that it is plausible low choline/PC status adversely affects intestinal function to set up the vicious cycle of inflammation, loss of intestinal barrier function and worsening tissue hypoxia that occurs with NEC. In conclusion, this review supports the need for randomized clinical trials to test the hypothesis that additional choline or PC provided parenterally or enterally can reduce the incidence of NEC in preterm infants. IMPACT STATEMENT: Low choline status in preterm infants who are managed by conventional nutrition is plausibly linked to the risk of developing necrotizing enterocolitis.

Treatment of functional bowel disorders in an integrative medicine clinic resulting in improved digestive tract symptoms.

Background and Aim: Functional bowel disorders (FBDs), including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and others, are conditions without a physically identifiable etiology that, as a result, are difficult to treat. Alternatives to traditional medical interventions are needed because IBS patients require more of physician time and higher healthcare spending. The goal of this study was to determine the efficacy of alternative lifestyle interventions for patients with FBDs seen in an integrative medicine (IM) clinic at an academic medical center. Methods: We performed a retrospective chart review to determine whether patients with FBDs had improvement in symptoms following predominantly nutrition-based IM interventions that included recommendations for dietary supplements and elimination diets. We measured symptoms before and after intervention (average time between measurements 8.75 months) using a medical symptoms questionnaire (MSQ) commonly used to quantify symptom change in IM clinics. Results: Digestive tract symptoms, as measured by the MSQ, improved significantly in patients (n = 57) with FBDs following IM intervention. The MSQ Digestive Tract subtotal for FBD patients decreased from 10.2 (SD, 5.4) to 7.2 (SD, 5.2) (P < 0.001) after IM intervention. Conclusions: Patients in an IM clinic had improved digestive tract symptoms scores following IM intervention. Because nutrition-based interventions were the primary intervention recommended by IM providers, primary care physicians and gastroenterologists may wish to consider referring FBD patients to registered dietitian-nutritionists (RDNs) skilled in implementing elimination diets.

Omega-3 fatty acid supply in pregnancy for risk reduction of preterm and early preterm birth.

This clinical practice guideline on the supply of the omega-3 docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in pregnant women for risk reduction of preterm birth and early preterm birth was developed with support from several medical-scientific organizations, and is based on a review of the available strong evidence from randomized clinical trials and a formal consensus process. We concluded the following. Women of childbearing age should obtain a supply of at least 250 mg/d of docosahexaenoic+eicosapentaenoic acid from diet or supplements, and in pregnancy an additional intake of ≥100 to 200 mg/d of docosahexaenoic acid. Pregnant women with a low docosahexaenoic acid intake and/or low docosahexaenoic acid blood levels have an increased risk of preterm birth and early preterm birth. Thus, they should receive a supply of approximately 600 to 1000 mg/d of docosahexaenoic+eicosapentaenoic acid, or docosahexaenoic acid alone, given that this dosage showed significant reduction of preterm birth and early preterm birth in randomized controlled trials. This additional supply should preferably begin in the second trimester of pregnancy (not later than approximately 20 weeks' gestation) and continue until approximately 37 weeks' gestation or until childbirth if before 37 weeks' gestation. Identification of women with inadequate omega-3 supply is achievable by a set of standardized questions on intake. Docosahexaenoic acid measurement from blood is another option to identify women with low status, but further standardization of laboratory methods and appropriate cutoff values is needed. Information on how to achieve an appropriate intake of docosahexaenoic acid or docosahexaenoic+eicosapentaenoic acid for women of childbearing age and pregnant women should be provided to women and their partners.

DHA, nutrient intake, and maternal characteristics as predictors of pregnancy outcomes in a randomised clinical trial of DHA supplementation.

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationships among docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake, nutrient intake, and maternal characteristics on pregnancy outcomes in a phase III randomised clinical trial designed to determine the effect of a DHA dose of 1000 mg/day compared to 200 mg/day on early preterm birth (<34 weeks gestation). METHODS: A secondary aim of the phase III randomised trial was to explore the relationships among pregnancy outcomes (maternal red blood cell phospholipid (RBC-PL) DHA at delivery, preterm birth, gestational age at delivery, labor type, birth anthropometric measures, low birth weight, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and admission to a neonatal intensive care unit) in participants (n = 1100). We used Bayesian multiple imputation and linear and logistic regression models to conduct an analysis of five general classes of predictor variables collected during the trial: a) DHA intake, b) nutrient intake from food and supplements, c) environmental exposure to tobacco and alcohol, d) maternal demographics, and e) maternal medical history. RESULTS: DHA supplementation lowered the risk of preterm birth and NICU admission, and increased gestation and birth weight as observed in the primary analysis. Higher maternal RBC-PL-DHA at delivery was associated with DHA supplementation and formal education of a bachelor's degree or higher. DHA supplementation and maternal age were associated with a higher risk of gestational diabetes. Total vitamin A intake was associated with longer gestation, while fructose and intake of the long chain omega-6 fatty acid, arachidonic acid, were associated with shorter gestation. Risk of preterm birth was associated with a history of low birth weight, preterm birth, pre-eclampsia, and NICU admission. CONCLUSION: Bayesian models provide a comprehensive approach to relationships among DHA intake, nutrient intake, maternal characteristics, and pregnancy outcomes. We observed previously unreported relationships between gestation duration and fructose, vitamin A, and arachidonic acid that could be the basis for future research. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER AND DATE: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02626299); December 10, 2015.

Micronutrient Gaps and Supplement Use in a Diverse Cohort of Pregnant Women.

BACKGROUND: Micronutrition in pregnancy is critical to impact not only fetal growth and development but also long-term physical and psychiatric health outcomes. OBJECTIVE: Estimate micronutrient intake from food and dietary supplements in a diverse cohort of pregnant women and compare intake to the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). DESIGN: Secondary analysis of women enrolled in a multi-site clinical trial of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation who provided their dietary intake using the diet history questionnaire-II (n = 843) or multiple 24 h recalls (n = 178) at baseline and their intake of nutritional supplements at baseline through 30 days postpartum. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: 1021 participants from the parent trial who had reliable data for dietary intake, supplement intake, or both. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Micronutrient intake from dietary and supplement sources and percentage of intakes meeting the DRIs for pregnancy. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Percent of participants whose intake was below the estimated average requirement (EAR) or adequate intake (AI) and above the tolerable upper limit (UL). RESULTS: Dietary intakes of choline, folate, iron, vitamin D, zinc, vitamin E, magnesium, and potassium, were below the AI or EAR for 30-91% of the participants; thiamin and vitamin B6 were also below the AI or EAR for non-Hispanic/Latina women. Supplement intake improved the intake for most; however, 80% of the group remained below the AI for choline and 52.5% for potassium while 30% remained below the EAR for magnesium. Folate and iron intakes were above the UL for 80% and 19%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary supplements, despite their variability, allowed the majority of this cohort of pregnant women to achieve adequate intakes for most micronutrients. Choline, magnesium, and potassium were exceptions. Of interest, folate intake was above the tolerable UL for the majority and iron for 16.8% of the participants. Clinicians have the opportunity to address the most common nutrient deficits and limits with advice on food sources that provide choline, magnesium, and potassium and to ensure folate is not overabundant. More research is needed to determine if these findings are similar in a cross-sectional population.

Iodine Intake From Diet and Supplements and Urinary Iodine Concentration in a Cohort of Pregnant Women in the United States.

BACKGROUND: The DRI Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) in pregnancy for Iodine (I), an essential nutrient for fetal neurodevelopment, is 160 µg/d. Supplementation with 150 µg/d I/day is recommended during pregnancy, however, neither dietary intake or the combination of diet and supplement intake has been reported in US pregnant women. OBJECTIVE: Determine iodine intake from diet and supplements and iodine status in pregnancy by urinary iodine concentration in a large cohort of pregnant women. DESIGN: Pregnant women (n=750) completed the Diet History Questionnaire 2.0 from the National Institute of Cancer or multiple 24-hour recalls at baseline and identified their prenatal supplement(s). Dietary iodine intake was estimated using the USDA, FDA and ODS-NIH Database for the Iodine Content of Common Foods at enrollment, supplemental iodine intake throughout the study using content databases, and urinary iodine concentration (UIC) by the modified Sandell-Kolthoff reaction in samples collected between 14-20 weeks gestation (n=966). RESULTS: The median intake of iodine from diet was 108.8 µg/d, and 63% (473/750) were below the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR). Furthermore, 65% (529/818) took a supplement containing iodine, however, only 32% (259/818) took ≥150 µg/d. Median intake increased to 188.5 µg/d with the inclusion of I from supplements, however , 41% (380/925) remained below the EAR even after supplementation suggesting inadequate intake in nearly half of the cohort. A similar 48% (467/966) had UIC ≤150 µg/L. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of iodine status by UIC and intake of iodine from diet and supplements support a high prevalence of iodine insufficiency during pregnancy in this large cohort of US women.

Prenatal Care Utilization Challenges and Facilitators for a Growing Latino Community in the Midwest.

BACKGROUND: Latina women are less likely to start prenatal care in the first trimester and to attend the recommended amount of prenatal visits compared to their non-Latina white counterparts. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess challenges and facilitators to first-trimester prenatal care (FTPNC) and prenatal care utilization (PNCU) in a Midwestern urban area with a growing immigrant Latino community. METHODS: This study used a mixed-method approach based on the Theoretical Domains Framework. Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted with healthcare professionals that worked in birth centers, clinics, or hospitals that provided prenatal care (PNC) services for Latina women. Eight focus groups and quantitative surveys were conducted with Latina women and their supporters in Kansas City metropolitan area. RESULTS: FTPNC was challenged by women's immigrant status, lack of healthcare coverage due to immigrant status, and complexity of Medicaid application. PNCU was challenged by the cost of PNC when diagnosed with gestational diabetes, lack of healthcare coverage, PNC literacy, late access to gynecologists/obstetricians, inadequate interpretation services, transportation, and mental health distress. Meanwhile, FTPNC was facilitated by social support and connectedness. PNCU was facilitated by Spanish-proficient providers and interpreters, effective nonverbal communication and education techniques, and pregnancy prevention access and education. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Results from this study highlight important targets to improve PNC for Latina women. Participants called for various types of support to address identified challenges, ranging from information on social media about PNC services to broader efforts such as building trust from the community toward PNC providers and making PNC services affordable for women with gestational diabetes.

Evidence for human milk as a biological system and recommendations for study design-a report from "Breastmilk Ecology: Genesis of Infant Nutrition (BEGIN)" Working Group 4.

Human milk contains all of the essential nutrients required by the infant within a complex matrix that enhances the bioavailability of many of those nutrients. In addition, human milk is a source of bioactive components, living cells and microbes that facilitate the transition to life outside the womb. Our ability to fully appreciate the importance of this matrix relies on the recognition of short- and long-term health benefits and, as highlighted in previous sections of this supplement, its ecology (i.e., interactions among the lactating parent and breastfed infant as well as within the context of the human milk matrix itself). Designing and interpreting studies to address this complexity depends on the availability of new tools and technologies that account for such complexity. Past efforts have often compared human milk to infant formula, which has provided some insight into the bioactivity of human milk, as a whole, or of individual milk components supplemented with formula. However, this experimental approach cannot capture the contributions of the individual components to the human milk ecology, the interaction between these components within the human milk matrix, or the significance of the matrix itself to enhance human milk bioactivity on outcomes of interest. This paper presents approaches to explore human milk as a biological system and the functional implications of that system and its components. Specifically, we discuss study design and data collection considerations and how emerging analytical technologies, bioinformatics, and systems biology approaches could be applied to advance our understanding of this critical aspect of human biology.

A Scoping Review of Iodine and Fluoride in Pregnancy in Relation to Maternal Thyroid Function and Offspring Neurodevelopment.

Iodine (I), an essential nutrient, is important for thyroid function and therefore growth and development. Fluoride (F), also an essential nutrient, strengthens bones and teeth, and prevents childhood dental caries. Both severe and mild-to-moderate I deficiency and high F exposure during development are associated to decreased intelligence quotient with recent reports associating high levels of F exposure during pregnancy and infancy to low intelligence quotient. Both F and I are halogens, and it has been suggested that F may interfere with the role of I in thyroid function. We provide a scoping review of the literature on I and F exposure dur pregnancy and their individual effects on thyroid function and offspring neurodevelopment. We first discuss I intake and status in pregnancy and the relationship to thyroid function and offspring neurodevelopment. We follow with the F in pregnancy and offspring neurodevelopment. We then review the interaction between I and F on thyroid function. We searched for, and found only one study that assessed both I and F in pregnancy. We conclude more studies are needed.

The value of a two-armed Bayesian response adaptive randomization trial.

We investigate the value of a two-armed Bayesian response adaptive randomization (RAR) design to investigate early preterm birth rates of high versus low dose of docosahexaenoic acid during pregnancy. Unexpectedly, the COVID-19 pandemic forced recruitment to pause at 1100 participants rather than the planned 1355. The difference in power between number of participants at the pause and planned was 87% and 90% respectively. We decided to stop the study. This paper describes how the RAR was used to execute the study. The value of RAR in two-armed studies is quite high and their use in the future is promising.

DHA Supplementation During Pregnancy Enhances Maternal Vagally Mediated Cardiac Autonomic Control in Humans.

BACKGROUND: DHA is an essential omega-3 (ω-3; n-3) fatty acid that has well-established benefits for the fetus. DHA also has the potential to influence the health of the mother, but this area is understudied. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this secondary analysis was to determine if DHA was related to maternal heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) metrics in a large cohort of pregnant women. METHODS: In the parent trial (1R01HD086001) eligible participants (≥18 y old, English speaking, carrying a singleton pregnancy, 12-20 wk of gestation) were randomly assigned to consume 200 mg/d or 800 mg/d DHA for the duration of their pregnancy (n = 300). Weight, blood pressure, and magnetocardiograms (MCGs) were collected at 32 wk and 36 wk of gestation (n = 221). Measures of HR and HRV in time-, frequency-, and nonlinear-domains were determined from the isolated maternal MCG. Treatment group and timepoint were examined as predictors in association with HR and HRV metrics using random-intercept mixed-effects ANOVA unadjusted and adjusted models accounting for weight and dietary DHA intake. RESULTS: Women receiving the higher dose of DHA (800 mg/d) during pregnancy had lower HR, lower sympathetic index, higher vagally mediated HRV indices, and greater HRV complexity when compared with the women who received the lower dose (200 mg/d; all P < 0.05). All the dose relations remained significant even after controlling for the effect of time, maternal weight, and dietary DHA intake. CONCLUSIONS: DHA supplementation increases vagal tone in pregnant women. Longitudinal studies examining the potential link between DHA, enhanced vagal tone, and reported reduction in early preterm birth are warranted.

Higher Diet Quality in Latina Women during Pregnancy May Be Associated with Sociodemographic Factors.

Acculturation contributes to low diet quality and can foster health inequities for Latina women during pregnancy. Conversely, nutrition literacy (NL) increases diet quality and could promote health equity. This study assessed the associations between the diet quality, acculturation, and NL of Latina women (n = 99) participating in the Assessment of Docosahexaenoic Acid On Reducing Early Preterm Birth (ADORE) study. Acculturation and nutrition literacy factored together tended to modify diet quality, but this was not statistically significant. Diet quality was associated with acculturation, age, and nativity. Most (76.8%) demonstrated low nutrition literacy. Women who were bicultural and were born in Latin American countries other than Mexico had lower diet quality scores than women who had lower acculturation and were born in Mexico. Women who were 35 years or older had better diet quality than those who were younger. Future studies are needed to explore diet quality differences for pregnant Latina women with high nutrition literacy and high acculturation, as well as for women from the Caribbean, Central and South American countries living in the US, to promote nutrition and maternal health for Latina women.

Maternal Docosahexaenoic Acid Exposure Needed to Achieve Maternal-Newborn EQ.

Achieving maternal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) status equal to or greater than the infant's DHA status at delivery is known as maternal-newborn DHA equilibrium (EQ) and is thought to be important for optimizing newborn DHA status throughout infancy. The objective of this study was to determine the daily DHA intake during pregnancy most likely to result in EQ. The participants (n = 1145) were from two randomized control trials of DHA supplementation in pregnancy. DHA intake was estimated using an abbreviated food frequency questionnaire. Total DHA exposure during pregnancy was calculated as a weighted average of the estimated DHA intake throughout pregnancy and the randomized DHA dose (200, 800, 1000 mg). Red blood cell DHA was measured from maternal and cord blood plasma at delivery and EQ status was calculated. The DHA intake required to achieve EQ was estimated by regression. In terms of DHA exposure, the point estimate and 95% confidence interval to achieve EQ was 643 (583, 735) mg of DHA/day. The results of our trial suggest an intake of 650 mg of DHA/day is necessary to increase the potential for EQ at delivery. The clinical benefits of achieving EQ deserves continued study.

Nutrition Literacy Among Latina/x People During Pregnancy Is Associated With Socioeconomic Position.

BACKGROUND: During pregnancy, Latina/x people experience nutrition and nutrition-related health inequities. Nutrition literacy is a potential factor impacted by these inequities. However, the nutrition literacy level of Latina/x people during pregnancy is not well investigated. OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to assess the nutrition literacy level of Latina/x people during pregnancy and explore the association of nutrition literacy with socioeconomic position. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study of data collected from 2016 to 2018 within the double-blinded, randomized clinical trial Assessment of Docosahexaenoic Acid on Reducing Early Preterm Birth. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING: A total of 112 Latina/x people during pregnancy from the Kansas City metro area were included in this study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Nutrition literacy level assessed between 12 and 20 gestational weeks using the Nutrition Literacy Assessment Instrument, both in English and Spanish. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED: Descriptive measures were used to describe the nutrition literacy level during pregnancy. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the association between low nutrition literacy and socioeconomic position, adjusting for age and race. RESULTS: In this study, most participants demonstrated low nutrition literacy during pregnancy. Those with low nutrition literacy were 2 times more likely to have low annual household income (odds ratio [OR] = 2.74, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.99-7.59), 3 times more likely to prefer Spanish as their primary language of communication (OR = 3.03, 95% CI: 0.95-9.67), and 7 times more likely to be uninsured (OR = 7.47; 95% CI: 1.57-35.64). CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition literacy scores during pregnancy were associated with variables of socioeconomic position. Future research should focus on nutrition literacy associations with health outcomes during pregnancy and interventions to improve the nutrition literacy level of primarily Spanish-speaking people who have low household incomes and are uninsured.

A Preliminary Study of Clinical Practice and Prenatal Nutrition in Rural Kansas.

Introduction: The primary purpose of this study was to determine if new recommendations for prenatal supplements of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and choline have been implemented into care by physicians who care for pregnant women in rural Kansas communities. Both nutrients are inadequate in the diet of most pregnant women in the U.S., and not all prenatal supplements provide DHA and choline. Methods: A cross sectional web-based survey was developed and provided by the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC) students to 44 rural Kansas clinics believed to have physicians who provide obstetrical care. Questions about DHA and choline were embedded in a larger survey focused on prenatal care. A total of 29 surveys were returned, however, only 21 were completed by physicians who provided obstetrical care. Results: DHA (3/21) and choline (0/21) rarely were singled out for recommendation in contrast to folic acid (16/21) and iron (14/21). Participants stated that most women sought prenatal care during the first trimester of their pregnancy and indicated that they recommended prenatal vitamins at the first visit. Eleven gave patients a prescription for prenatal vitamins. The remaining patients either chose traditional over the counter prenatal vitamin capsules or less traditional chewable (gummy) vitamins, which provided lower concentrations of nutrients. Common barriers to nutritional counseling were limited resources and time constraints. Clinicians assessed their confidence and ability to provide nutritional counseling as moderate and competent, respectively. Conclusions: New nutritional recommendations for DHA and choline have not been implemented into standard of care in rural Kansas.

Prenatal docosahexaenoic acid supplementation has long-term effects on childhood behavioral and brain responses during performance on an inhibitory task.

Introduction: Offsprings from a prenatal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation trial, in which pregnant women were assigned to placebo or 600mg DHA/day, were followed to determine the effect of prenatal DHA supplementation on the behavior and brain function at 5.5 years (n=81 placebo, n=86 supplemented).Methods: Event-related potentials (ERP) were recorded during a visual task requiring a button press (Go) to frequent target stimuli and response inhibition to the rare stimuli (No-Go). Univariate ANOVAs were used to test differences between group and sex for behavioral measures. ERP differences were tested using a three-way mixed-design multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).Results: There was a significant sex × group interaction for hit rate and errors of omission; there was no difference between males and females in the placebo group, but DHA males outperformed DHA females. Males overall and the placebo group made more errors requiring response inhibition; DHA females were significantly better than placebo females and DHA males. ERP P2 amplitude was larger in the DHA group. A significant N2 amplitude condition effect was observed in females and DHA group males, but not in placebo group males.Discussion: Prenatal DHA supplementation improved inhibitory performance overall, especially for females in the DHA group, possibly accounting for their conservative behavior during Go trials. Development of brain regions responsible for visual processing may be sensitive to maternal DHA status, evidenced by greater P2 amplitude. Males may benefit more from maternal DHA supplementation, indicated by the N2 condition effect seen only in males in the DHA group.

Prenatal docosahexaenoic acid effect on maternal-infant DHA-equilibrium and fetal neurodevelopment: a randomized clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: Maternal-infant equilibrium occurs when cord blood docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is less than or equal to maternal DHA at delivery. Equilibrium may be an indicator of sufficient DHA for optimal fetal and infant neurodevelopment. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of maternal DHA supplementation on equilibrium status and fetal neurodevelopment. METHODS: Women enrolled between 12 and 20 weeks gestation and were randomized to 200 or 800 mg DHA/day until delivery. Maternal red blood cell (RBC) phospholipids were measured at enrollment, 32 weeks, delivery, and in cord blood at delivery. Fetal neurodevelopment was measured at 32 and 36 weeks gestation. Intent-to-treat analyses were conducted to test differences in equilibrium status by group. Fetal outcomes were assessed by equilibrium status and group. RESULTS: Three hundred women enrolled and 262 maternal-infant dyads provided blood samples at delivery. No maternal-infant dyads with maternal RBC-DHA ≤ 6.96% at delivery achieved equilibrium. The incidence of equilibrium was significantly higher in the 800 mg group. There was no effect of maternal group or equilibrium status on fetal neurodevelopment. CONCLUSION: The significance of maternal-infant DHA equilibrium remains unknown. Ongoing research will test the effect of treatment group, equilibrium, and nutrient status on infant behavior and brain function. IMPACT: Pregnant women who received a higher dose of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were more likely to achieve maternal-infant DHA equilibrium at delivery. Equilibrium status had no effect on fetal neurodevelopment in this sample. While DHA is crucial for early life neurodevelopment, the significance of achieving maternal-infant equilibrium above the lower threshold is uncertain. There is a lower threshold of maternal DHA status where maternal-infant DHA equilibrium never occurs. The lack of equilibrium associated with low maternal DHA status may indicate insufficient maternal status for optimal placental transfer.