Changes in fatty acid levels (saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) during pregnancy

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Carla Martín-Grau¹  Estefania Aparicio²  Victoria Arija²  Carmen Hernández-Martinez³  Nuria Voltas³  Josefa Canals³ 

[1] Research Group on Nutrition and Mental Health (NUTRISAM), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201, Reus, Spain;Clinical Chemistry Laboratory, Catalan Institute of Health (ICS)-Camp de Tarragona-Terres de l’Ebre, Joan XXIII University Hospital in Tarragona, 43005, Tarragona, Spain;Research Group on Nutrition and Mental Health (NUTRISAM), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201, Reus, Spain;Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), 43003, Tarragona, Spain;Research Group on Nutrition and Mental Health (NUTRISAM), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201, Reus, Spain;Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere Virgili (IISPV), 43003, Tarragona, Spain;Research Center for Behavior Assessment (CRAMC), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain;

关键词: Pregnancy;    Fatty acid status;    DHA;    EPA;    Omega-3;    Omega-6;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12884-021-04251-0

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundDuring pregnancy a high amount of fatty acids (FA) is necessary to meet foetus demands, which vary during gestation. The present study describes the changes in maternal fatty acid concentrations during pregnancy in a sample of pregnant women.MethodsThis is a longitudinal study of 479 pregnant women who were monitored from the first trimester to third trimester of pregnancy. Data on maternal characteristics were recorded and a serum sample was collected in each trimester. The fatty acid profile (saturated (SFA: total, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid), monounsaturated (MUFA: total, palmitoleic acid, oleic acid) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA: total omega-6 (n-6), linoleic acid, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid (AA), total omega-3 (n-3), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) was analysed with a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry combination.ResultsFrom the first trimester to third trimester of pregnancy, a significant increase in total SFA, total MUFA and total n-6 PUFA was found. (p < 0.001). Nevertheless, the serum concentration of arachidonic acid (AA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and total n-3 PUFA decreased during gestation (p < 0.001). A statistically non-significant result was observed for the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) serum concentration between the first and third trimesters of pregnancy. Significant correlations were observed between each total fatty acid concentrations of the first and third trimesters.ConclusionThe circulating serum concentration of SFA, MUFA and n-6 PUFA increases during pregnancy, whereas essential fatty acids such as AA and EPA decrease, and DHA remains unchanged. Further research is necessary to understand the role played by FA throughout gestation.

【 授权许可】

CC BY