Self-reported use of omega-3 supplements is associated with a higher probability of natural conception in women aged 30-44 without a history of infertility.
The study conducted a secondary data analysis of a prospective time to pregnancy cohort study, known as Time to Conceive (TTC), from 2008 to December 2015 focusing on 900 women aged 30-44 years who were trying to conceive for less than 3 months without any history of infertility. While they attempted to conceive, they were required to record daily, any menstrual cycle events and their intake of any supplements or medication using a database. Those supplements and vitamins that contained omega-3 were identified. The analysis determined the use of omega-3, defined as its consumption on at least 20% of days during a known menstrual cycle, in each cycle of their pregnancy attempts.
From the analysis, it was noted that women who took omega-3 supplements tended to be younger, leaner, have not been pregnant before, racially white, and more likely to take vitamin D, prenatal and multivitamins compared to women not taking omega-3s. The study adopted a model to adjust for these factors, allowing for an evaluation of the impact of omega-3 supplementation on fertility independent of these characteristics. After all these adjustments, it was found that women taking omega-3 supplements had a higher chance of conceiving compared to those not taking omega-3s.
