Maternal Blood Fatty Acid Levels in Fetal Growth Restriction

Abstract

Objective: To assess the maternal blood levels of fatty acids (FAs) in pregnancies with fetal growth restriction (FGR). Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study included pregnant women with gestational age between 26 and 37 + 6 weeks with FGR and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) fetuses. The levels of saturated, trans, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated FAs were measured using centrifugation and liquid chromatography. The Student's t-test, Mann–Whitney test, and general linear model, with gestational age and maternal weight as covariants, were used to compare FA levels and the FGR and AGA groups. The Chi-square was used to evaluate the association between groups and studied variables. Results: Maternal blood sample was collected from 64 pregnant women, being 24 FGR and 40 AGA. A weak positive correlation was found between the palmitoleic acid level and maternal weight (r = 0.285, p = 0.036). A weak negative correlation was found between the gamma-linoleic acid level and gestational age (r = − 0.277, p = 0.026). The median of the elaidic acid level (2.3 vs. 4.7 ng/ml, p = 0.045) and gamma-linoleic acid (6.3 vs. 6.6 ng/ml, p = 0.024) was significantly lower in the FGR than the AGA group. The palmitoleic acid level was significantly higher in the FGR than AGA group (50.5 vs. 47.6 ng/ml, p = 0.033). Conclusion: Pregnant women with FGR had lower elaidic acid and gamma-linoleic acid levels and higher palmitoleic acid levels than AGA fetuses.

Intrauterine Growth Restriction: Need to Improve Diagnostic Accuracy and Evidence for a Key Role of Oxidative Stress in Neonatal and Long-Term Sequelae

“…In maternal blood samples collected between 26 and 37+6 weeks of gestation, Grohmann et al found lower elaidic acid and gamma-linolenic acid concentrations and higher palmitoleic acid concentrations in IUGR fetuses compared to AGA fetuses. While IUGR was accurately diagnosed according to the Delphi criteria, the authors did not further differentiate the results of early and late-onset IUGR [ 39 ].…”