Here we go again: TIME writes about preliminary mouse research

Does the story adequately discuss the costs of the intervention?

Not Satisfactory

The article includes no discussion of the cost of adding either omega 3 supplements or foods high in omega 3 fats to an individual’s diet. Omega 3 supplements may not be especially expensive, but the story doesn’t address this issue either.

Does the story adequately quantify the benefits of the treatment/test/product/procedure?

Not Satisfactory

Given that the research under consideration here involved 10 mice — and genetically bred mice at that — there’s no way to determine whether increasing omega 3s in a woman’s diet would have any benefit at all, let alone to quantify the likely benefits.

The story does explain that the mice bred to have higher ratios of omega 3 fatty acids seemed to produce more “precursors to egg cells” and also produced higher quality eggs, meaning they would be more likely to have eggs that would be fertilized and develop into baby mice.

The bottom line, however, is that a woman reading this story and hoping to improve her fertility would find no information that would help her assess how much of an increase in omega 3s she might need, nor how much of an improvement in fertility this dietary change might produce.

Does the story seem to grasp the quality of the evidence?

Not Satisfactory

The Time story acknowledges in the second paragraph that the study involved only mice and notes that more research will be needed to determine whether increasing omega 3 consumption will have any effect on human fertility. But the story provides no sense of what’s involved, or just how challenging it will be, to translate these results to humans. So why report it now when there’s no evidence? We don’t know.

Does the story use independent sources and identify conflicts of interest?

Not Satisfactory

This story is brief and includes no sources other than the researcher whose paper is being discussed.

Does the story compare the new approach with existing alternatives?

Not Satisfactory

There is no discussion of any other steps women might take to increase their odds of becoming pregnant when they are ready to start a family.

Does the story establish the true novelty of the approach?

Not Satisfactory

The story does not say explicitly that this study is the first to link omega 3 fatty acids with improved fertility in either mice or humans, but the wording implies that the study provided new evidence of such a link: “Now, according to scientists at the University of Colorado, there is even evidence that the healthy fat can boost your chances of getting pregnant.” What the story fails to note is that there already appears to be a significant body of research — in humans — dealing with the connection between omega 3 fatty acid levels and successfully achieving and maintaining pregnancy.