Habitual fish consumption does not prevent a decrease in LCPUFA status in pregnant women (the Seychelles Child Development Nutrition Study).
Information on the status of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in pregnancy and breast milk in very high fish-eating populations is limited. The aim of this study was to examine dietary intake and changes in fatty acid status in a population of pregnant women in the Republic of Seychelles. Serum docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) decreased significantly between 28-week gestation and delivery (n=196). DHA status did not correlate significantly with length of gestation and was not associated with self-reported fish intake, which was high at 527 g/week. In breast milk, the ratio of DHA to arachidonic acid (AA) was consistent with those observed in other high fish-eating populations. Overall the data suggest that high exposure to LCPUFAs from habitual fish consumption does not prevent the documented decrease in LCPUFA status in pregnancy that occurs as a result of foetal accretion in the third trimester of pregnancy.
Bonham
M P
MP
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK. mp.bonham@ulster.ac.uk
Duffy
E M
EM
Wallace
J M W
JM
Robson
P J
PJ
Myers
G J
GJ
Davidson
P W
PW
Clarkson
T W
TW
Shamlaye
C F
CF
Strain
J J
JJ
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology; D004032:Diet; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D004537:Eicosanoic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000502:physiology*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis*; D012750:Seychelles
D004537:Eicosanoic Acids; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; C094477:arachidic acid