[SunnySmile501]

These risks are for women, especially pregnant women.

Flaxseed Oil Consumption Raises Premature Birth Risk If Consumed During Last Two Trimesters

Article Date: 31 Oct 2008 - 3:00 PDT

Flaxseed Oil Consumption Raises Premature Birth Risk If Consumed During Last Two Trimesters

A study has found that the risks of a premature birth quadruple if flaxseed oil is consumed in the last two trimesters of pregnancy. The research was conducted by Professor Anick Bérard of the Université de Montréal's Faculty of Pharmacy and the Sainte-Justine Hospital Research Center and Master's student Krystel Moussally.

<snip>

The most consumed natural health products by pregnant women are chamomile (19 percent), green tea (17 percent), peppered mint (12 percent), and flaxseed oil (12 percent). Bérard and Moussally correlated these products to premature births and only one product had a very strong correlation: flaxseed oil.

"In the general population, the average rate of premature births is 2 to 3 percent. But for women consuming flaxseed oil in their last two trimesters that number jumps up to 12 percent," says Bérard. "It's an enormous risk."
<snip>

</H1>

From Women’s Health Omega-3 fish oil | flaxseed oil
<snip>
Some doctors say that pregnant women should avoid flaxseed oil and/or flax seed supplements as they can have an effect upon estrogen and hormones.

If you are a postmenopausal stage of life then flax seed can be a good way to help you get more of the good fats in your daily diet, while also helping to balance your hormones.
<snip>

Flaxseed oil does have omega-3 in it and is preferred by some people however some doctors say flaxseed oil should not be taken by pregnant women.

The reason is that flax seed, like soy or even more so, seems to have an effect on estrogen and hormones and might interfere with your body during pregnancy. Ask your doctor.

One study on this was: Brooks JD, Ward WE, Lewis JE, et al. Supplementation with flaxseed alters estrogen metabolism in postmenopausal women to a greater extent than does supplementation with an equal amount of soy. Am J Clin Nutr 2004;Feb, 79(2):318-325.

Also, flaxseed oil does not have as high an amount of DHA as fish oil, so fish oil is just better anyway at giving you the DHA you want.
<snip>