Polyunsaturated fatNutrition library
LibraryNutrientsEnergy & macros
Polyunsaturated fat
Necessary in modest amounts (especially omega-3, tracked separately) but prone to oxidation in excess — quality and source matter more than quantity.
Trimester focus
| Stage | For the mother | For the baby |
|---|---|---|
| First trimester | Best kept modest and from whole foods during the teratogen-sensitive window. | Small amounts support early membrane development. |
| Second trimester | Whole-food PUFA (fish, eggs) becomes more valuable as DHA demand rises. | DHA-rich PUFA increasingly feeds neural-tissue growth. |
| Third trimester | Fresh, gently cooked sources matter most given peak fetal DHA uptake. | The fetal brain accretes DHA fastest in the third trimester. |