NOTE FROM TED: While some viewers may find this talk helpful as a complementary approach, please consult a medical professional and do not look to this talk as a substitute for health advice.
Here’s a paradox: There is strong evidence that eating a fish during pregnancy can reduce the risk of preterm birth and provide key nutrients for the fetus’s cognitive development. Yet fish are one of the most avoided foods during pregnancy due to mercury and food safety concerns. Have we miscalculated the risks and benefits of eating fish in pregnancy over the last 20 years? Could the omega-3 fatty acids found only in fish and seafood be key for reducing risk for one of the most common, dangerous, and expensive complications in pregnancy? Can we identify women at risk for preterm birth based on a blood marker of omega-3 status?
Kristina Jackson has a PhD in Nutritional Sciences from Penn State University, is a Registered Dietitian, and a part-owner of OmegaQuant Analytics, LLC, an independent medical lab in Sioux Falls that specializes in fatty acid and nutritional biomarker analysis. She is also a non-tenure Assistant Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine. Kristina is a translational researcher in the area of fatty acids and health, with over 20 peer-reviewed papers, a patent pending in the US and Australia, and is the Primary Investigator on a Small Business Innovation Grant. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx