Fish oil supplemental dose needed to reach 1g% DHA+EPA in mature milk.

•Twenty gestational weeks women with an RBC DHA+EPA status of 5.5g% need 750mg DHA+EPA/day to reach 8g% RBC DHA+EPA at 36 gestational weeks and about 1,000mg DHA+EPA/day to reach 1g% DHA+EPA in milk 4 weeks postpartum.•The RBC DHA+EPA increment depends on baseline values.•Supplementation of DHA+EPA during pregnancy and lactation had no potentially adverse effects on milk AA.•The milk EPA/AA ratio increased, but remained within the physiological range.