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Abstract
Docosahexaenoic fatty acid is an omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acid essential to fetal development. It is the end point of the essential fatty acid linolenic to long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid conversion chain. It has 22 carbon atoms, 6 double bonds starting at carbon atom number 3. The richest dietary sources of docosahexaenoic fatty acid are seafood especially coldwater fatty fish. In general, the colder the water, the higher the omega¬3 content in the fish oil. Popular sources of DHA are: wild salmon (not farm raised), sardines, tuna (blue fin tuna have up to five times more docosahexaenoic acid than other types of tuna), mackerel, shellfish, herring, black cod and anchovies. Eggs and some organ meats (liver and brain) have a small amount of DHA in them, but the healthiest source of dietary DHA is seafood. Certain microalgae contain DHA and are used as a vegetarian source of this nutrient in some supplements. Besides fish oils, vegetable oils (primarily flaxseed, soy, walnuts and canola) are also rich sources of omega 3 fatty acids, with flaxseed oil being the best. Docosahexaenoic fatty : acid is of crucial importance mainly in the development of the nervous system and retina of the growing fetus, Thereafter, it has a key role in the prevention and management of-many chronic, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases including cardiovascular diseases, Diabetes, cancer, rheiunatoiQ arthritis, crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, lupus erythematosus, multiple. sclerosis, major depression, aging and migraine headaches. The general aim of the present study was to assess the nutritional status of the docosahexaenoic fatty acid in post-partum women. The specific aim was to estimate the serum docosahexaenoic fatty acid level. Also to’ evaluate the dietary intake of foods containing docosahexaenoic fatty acid.among the.post-partum women and the : control group (women with no previous history of pregnancy), and finally to explore the relationship between docosahexaenoic fatty acid consumption from its natural . dietary sources and its level in’ the serum of the post-pactum women as well as the control group. A cross-sectional study was conducted in some of the maternal and child health centers in Alexandria. . The subjects of the study included a total of 250 women in the child bearing age selected from 8 MCR centers from different districts of Alexandria by simple . random sampling technique; 200 were post-pactum women and 50 were controls. The post-partum women were selected on attending MCH centers during the first visit after delivery for routine TSH testing of the newborn during the first week and for the BCG vaccination of the infant during the first month of life; They were categorized . into 4 groups. The first group was post-pactum women after the’ frrst delivery, the second after the second delivery