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Maternal nutrition, infants and children

Association between whole-blood polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnant women and early fetal weight

Abstract

Background/objectives:

Studies suggest that intake of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) in pregnancy have an impact on birth weight, but only few have investigated the effect on early fetal growth. The objective of the study was to investigate the association between levels of PUFA in maternal blood in gestational week 24 and biometric measures and estimated fetal weight in gestational week 20.

Subjects/methods:

In the COPSAC2010 cohort, whole-blood fatty acid composition (a biomarker of PUFA intake) from 583 women in week 24 was analyzed by gas chromatography. Biometric data (head circumference, abdominal circumference and femur length) were collected by ultra sound in week 20 and fetal weight was estimated. Associations between whole-blood PUFA (docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), total n-3 PUFA, n-6/n-3 PUFA, total n-6 PUFA) and fetal weight and biometrics measures were analyzed by multivariable-adjusted linear regression analyses.

Results:

There was a wide range in maternal blood DHA, which varied from 1.8 to 6.9% depending on socioeconomic status, smoking and body mass index. After adjusting for these variables, no association was observed between any of the assessed PUFA components and the circumference of head or abdomen or fetal weight. However, an inverse association was established between DHA and total n-3 PUFA and femur length (P<0.02).

Conclusion:

Maternal whole-blood PUFA composition, specifically her n-3 PUFA status, in gestational week 24 was not associated with overall early fetal weight gain, but this study indicates that it may decrease the length of femur.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the children and parents participating in the COPSAC2010 cohort as well as the COPSAC study team. We also wish to thank Lisbeth Joensson, Naestved Hospital; Torben Larsen, Holbaek Hospital; Lillian Skibsted, Roskilde Hospital; Anne-Cathrine Shalmi, Hilleroed Hospital; Lene Sperling, Herlev Hospital; Annamari Nikkila, Gentofte Hospital; Finn Stener Joergensen, Hvidovre Hospital and Connie Joergensen, Rigshospitalet, for their assistance with collecting scanning data.

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Correspondence to K Carlsen.

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Contributors: All authors have made significant contributions to the research described in this manuscript. KC carried out the study, collected and analyzed data and drafted the manuscript. LP, KB, LL and HB took part in the planning and designing of the study and revised the draft of the manuscript. HB is responsible for design and conduct of the COPSAC2010 cohort. KDS performed all blood sample analyses and revised the draft of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Carlsen, K., Pedersen, L., Bønnelykke, K. et al. Association between whole-blood polyunsaturated fatty acids in pregnant women and early fetal weight. Eur J Clin Nutr 67, 978–983 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2013.108

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