Fish 'reduces premature birth risk'

Eating fish in pregnancy reduces the risk of having a premature birth, scientists have found.

Every year over 13 million babies are born prematurely across the world - many in developing countries.

The majority die shortly after birth and the survivors are at significant risk of childhood disabilities such as cerebral palsy, blindness and deafness and intellectual impairment.

Premature delivery fell from 7.1% in women who had never eaten fish to just 1.9% in those who ate fish at least once a week.

The study in the British Medical Journal says women who do not eat seafood should consider taking fish oil supplements.

Researchers in Denmark surveyed more than 8,000 pregnant women about how often they had eaten fish during their pregnancy.

The found that just 1.9% of women who ate fish at least once a week had a premature birth.

The average birth weight and length of pregnancy both appeared to increase in direct relation to the amount of fish that women ate.

Previous research has shown that oils contained in some fish known as omega-3 fatty acids can have a beneficial effect on pregnancy.