For the study, researchers Gina Muckle and Eric Dewailly first measured docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) concentration, a type of omega-3 fatty acid involved in the development of neurons and retinas, in the umbilical cord blood of 109 infants.
"DHA concentration in the umbilical cord is a good indicator of intra-uterine exposure to omega-3s during the last trimester of pregnancy, a crucial period for the development of retinal photoreceptors and neurons," explained Dr. Dewailly.