How to Support Baby’s Brain Growth in the Second Trimester with Omega-3 DHA
Dearest Mama, did you know that your little one's brain is developing 250,000 new brain cells every single minute during the second trimester? You might have heard from your mother or grandmother asking you to eat almonds for brain development or ghee to make the baby intelligent. While our elders' wisdom holds truth, modern science has revealed that omega-3 during pregnancy is the most important nutrient for your baby's brain development.
In this blog, we will explore why omega-3 during pregnancy is a must-have and how it impacts your baby’s brain development. Let’s also debunk the myth of “you only need healthy food” and how prenatal vitamins like Trimacare are essential for the overall well-being of both you and your baby.
Why DHA Omega-3 During Pregnancy Matters?
Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats that your body cannot produce on its own, so you need to get them through your diet or prenatal vitamins. Wondering why omega-3 fatty acids are crucial for pregnancy? Here is why:
- DHA makes up nearly 97% of the Omega-3 fats in the brain and 93% in the retina.
- It helps build cell membranes in the brain and supports the transmission of signals between neurons.
- Adequate Omega-3 ensures that your baby’s cognitive abilities, attention span, and memory formation are strong.
- EPA supports anti-inflammatory pathways, improves placental blood flow, and contributes to better pregnancy outcomes.
Various studies have shown that mothers who had adequate levels of Omega-3 during their pregnancy have babies with higher IQ and problem-solving skills. Additionally, it helps protect against development delays and behavioral complications.
Furthermore, low levels of omega-3 for pregnant women slow down fetal growth, cause poor visual acuity, and increase the chances of premature delivery.
Dietary Intake: Enough Or Not?
For centuries, people have depended upon fish and seafood to get adequate levels of omega-3. However, India has a huge number of vegetarian people who avoid fish due to their dietary restrictions, religious beliefs, or fear of high mercury.
Studies suggest that the body cannot produce omega-3 on its own and thus, it needs to be received from external sources like diet or prenatal vitamins.
Plant foods, such as flax seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts, contain ALA (alpha linolenic acid), part of omega-3. The body converts ALA to DHA, but the biggest challenge is that the conversion rates are less than 5%. This means that eating a bowl of walnuts might not give you all the omega-3 DHA that you need.
Additionally, urban diets often lack the minimum recommended levels of omega-3 fatty acids you require during pregnancy. Ergo, you need omega-3 pregnancy supplements to meet your nutritional requirements of omega-3 during pregnancy.
Omega Fatty Acids During Pregnancy: Why the Second Trimester Matters
By the second trimester (weeks 13-27), your baby is not just a bunch of cells anymore. The baby builds organs, muscles, and most importantly, a brain that will control everything.
- Brain Surge: Millions of neurons are created each minute during this period. Omega-3 makes sure these neurons talk and work well together.
- Cognitive Pathway: Omega-3 is stored in the retina, laying the foundation for your child's vision.
- Memory & Learning: Early synaptic development (the connections that form memory) relies heavily on omega-3 fatty acids.
- Placental Transfer: Now, your baby is actively drawing on your reserves of Omega-3. If your diet isn't supplying enough, your body might draw upon its own, leaving you tired.
In other words, your second trimester is when the "brain wiring" of your baby occurs, and omega-3 fatty acids are the important cables.
Indian Dietary Challenges
Traditional Indian diets are diverse and nourishing, yet when it comes to omega-3 fatty acid intake during pregnancy, they fail. The vegetarian Indian meals mean limited access to seafood. This limited exposure to seafood and fishes create a huge nutritional gap that is hard to ignore. While plant-based foods like flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts are celebrated as rich in Omega-3, they contain only ALA (alpha-linolenic acid). Unfortunately, the body converts just 0.2–9% of ALA into DHA, less than what you and your baby need.
Research suggests that average Omega-3 intake from food is just 50-80 mg per day, whereas experts recommend taking at least 200-300 mg daily for optimal fetal brain and eye development. This gap shows how crucial the requirements of adequate levels of omega-3 fatty acids are during pregnancy. Pregnancy supplements bridge the dietary nutritional gaps and ensure that both mother and baby receive the right support during these crucial developmental months.
Trimacare 1, 2 & 3: The Best Omega-3 Pregnancy Supplements
Unlike one-size-fits-all multivitamins, Trimacare provides India’s first patented, trimester-wise prenatal vitamin. Clinically formulated under the close supervision of experts, Trimacare prenatal vitamin is tailored to the stage-specific needs of the mother and child.
- Trimacare 1 (First Trimester): Supports neural tube formation with L-methyl folate, time-release iron, and other essential 20+ micronutrients.
- Trimacare 2 (Second Trimester): Enriched with Omega-3 EPA:DHA (2:3 in golden ratio), calcium, vitamin D, and more, it is designed specifically for rapid brain growth and skeletal development.
- Trimacare 3 (Third Trimester): Focuses on final organ development and prepares the mother’s body for recovery and lactation.
Why Mothers and Doctors Trust Trimacare:
- Contains both EPA:DHA in its golden ratio of 2:3 for optimal well-being
- Includes 20+ essential multi micronutrients (MMN)
- Recommended by 1,000+ doctors across India
- Trusted by 1,00,000+ mothers
- Scientifically formulated to bridge nutritional gaps
- Vegetarian-friendly with safe, pure, and bioactive ingredients
In short, Trimacare doesn’t just add EPA:DHA in its golden ratio of 2:3; it adds confidence and peace of mind.
Conclusion
Your baby’s brain is being shaped moment by moment inside your womb. The decisions you make today, particularly about nutrition, will echo through your child’s entire lifetime. Omega-3 for pregnant women is not just another supplement; it’s an investment in your child’s intelligence, focus, and overall well-being.
While traditional diets provide some support, clinical data show that supplementation is often the only way to achieve the recommended levels of omega-3 during pregnancy. With Trimacare’s trimester-specific approach, you can be assured that you are giving your child the best possible start.
Motherhood is filled with unknowns, but your nutrition doesn’t have to be one of them.
Looking for the best omega-3 during pregnancy? Consult your healthcare provider and choose Trimacare prenatal vitamins today. Visit www.trimacare.com for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely not! The baby’s brain development continues throughout the pregnancy and even after birth. Starting omega-3 for pregnant women at 18 weeks or the second trimester still provides benefits. Studies show that mothers who take omega-3 supplements during pregnancy have babies with improved cognitive development compared to those who do not.
2. Do omega-3 pregnancy supplements help babies reduce the risk of allergies?
Research shows that adequate levels of omega-3 for pregnant women might reduce the risk of developing allergies in the baby. Omega-3 contains anti-inflammatory properties that help develop a more balanced immune system. However, always consult your healthcare provider before selecting any pregnancy supplement.
3. Can I take omega-3 for pregnancy even after my doctor hasn’t recommended it?
While omega-3 fatty acids are essential for the proper brain development of the baby, many healthcare providers might miss out on discussing them. You can research it and consult your healthcare provider the next time you visit.
4. I am a vegetarian and concerned about getting enough omega-3. What are my best options?
Vegetarian mothers can also get adequate levels of omega-3 via choosing prenatal vitamins with deep-sea algae-based omega-3 content. These provide the same bioavailable omega-3 as fish oil while being 100% vegetarian. You should also add flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts to your diet to receive ALA.
5. How do I know my prenatal vitamin has enough omega-3 fatty acids?
Check your pregnancy supplement label for EPA:DHA content because generic supplements only contain little to no DHA. Experts recommend having around 200 mg of DHA initially and around 300-500 mg of omega-3 during your 2nd and 3rd trimesters.
6. Is eating fish during pregnancy to get omega-3 fatty acids dangerous?
Fish contains mercury, and eating it in high quantities may lead to pregnancy complications. You can opt for high-quality and purified pregnancy supplements instead of consuming fish. The Indian market has various pregnancy supplements, but only one prenatal vitamin, Trimacare, contains 100% vegetarian omega-3 fatty acids with EPA:DHA in the golden ratio 2:3.
7. Do I need extra omega-3 fatty acids if I am expecting twins?
Yes, if you are carrying twins, then you need more omega-3 during pregnancy to support proper brain development of both babies. Consult your healthcare provider and choose the best prenatal vitamin along with a balanced diet.
8. Should I continue omega-3 pregnancy supplements while breastfeeding?
Yes, you should. Omega-3 is transferred through breast milk and supports brain development through your baby’s first year. Prenatal vitamins enhance breast milk omega-3 content and support the brain development benefits for your baby.

Pallavi Aggarwal
A Certified Nutritionist with a rich healthcare background in health journalism, the author has immense experience in curating reader-friendly, engaging, and informative healthcare blogs to empower readers to make informed pregnancy-related decisions.
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