LifeCell, India’s first and largest community stem cell bank, on Monday announced that it has introduced Omega Score, a first-of-its-kind diagnostic test in the country, to promote better newborn health.

The two diagnostic offerings - OmegaScore-Prenatal and OmegaScore-Newborn - have been specially designed for Indian pregnant women and mothers respectively to determine the concentration of a critical omega-3 fatty acid, DHA, also known as docosahexaenoic acid. This fatty acid has been proven to be essential for a child’s overall health and cognitive development. DHA is particularly vital for developing the brain and retina of the fetus during the third trimester till 18 months of the baby’s life.

In a press release, LifeCell said, according to suggested reports, DHA intake in Indian pregnant women in the third trimester is the lowest when compared to pregnant women in other developing countries. LifeCell’s Omega Score, thus, provides a convenient way to carry out an in-depth analysis to quantify DHA levels that give the baby the necessary health boost essential for their rapidly developing brain.

“With the launch of Omega Score, we not only hope to raise awareness about the importance of DHA in maternal nutrition but also to encourage a proactive rather than reactive approach towards maintaining their own and their baby’s health,” Mayur Abhaya, MD, LifeCell International was quoted in the statement.

OmegaScore-Prenatal is a self-collection blood test whereas OmegasScore-Newborn is a self-collection breast milk test to make the testing experience comfortable and uncomplicated for pregnant women as well as breastfeeding mothers. Omega Score test can be booked by visiting www.lifecell.in . Once the test is booked, a specially designed collection kit with instructions is delivered to the doorstep.

After self-sample collection, the kit is collected and delivered back to LifeCell, and the result is shared within three working days.

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