Omega-3 fatty acids for bipolarity in pregnancy. (Appear Safe but Efficacy Uncertain).

SAN FRANCISCO -- Omega-3 fatty acids may curb depression and mania in bipolar women during pregnancy and help provide alternatives to traditional drugs such as lithium, Dr. Lauren Marangell reported at a meeting on antepartum and intrapartum management sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco.

But she added that while omega-3 fatty acids are promising, their efficacy is not certain, and the decision to stop standard medications should be done with caution.

"Omega-3 fatty acids appear to be necessary for normal fetal development, as opposed to drugs like lithium," said Dr. Marangell of Baylor College of Medicine, Houston. "The problem [that] pregnant women face is that if they stop taking medications like lithium to protect the developing fetus, they may relapse. That's very dangerous."

Omega-3 fatty acids could provide another choice for such pregnant women, she said.

From studies on animals, scientists now know that omega-3 fatty acids provide for normal brain and central nervous system development. Depriving animals of these compounds is associated with abnormalities in offspring, Dr. Marangell said.

Dr. Marangell and other researchers are beginning a multisite pilot study, the National Institute of Mental Health Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder (STEP-BD), on the use of omega-3 fatty acids in women of childbearing age who may get pregnant during follow-up. The women will be randomized to receive either a 9.6-g dose of omega-3 fatty acids or an olive oil placebo, in addition to their regular medications. The women enrolled in the study will be required to be on a stable dose of traditional bipolar medications for 30 days.

"We want to see if omega-3 fatty acids can cut down on manic-depressive episodes and reduce symptoms," Dr. Marangell said.