Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in mothers and term babies.
OBJECTIVE
To establish the levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) in both plasma and erythrocytes of maternal and cord blood as well as in breast milk of mothers delivering babies at term.


METHODS
A total of 148 mothers delivering babies at term were recruited from Bharati Medical Hospital, Pune, India.


RESULTS
Levels of DHA and AA in both plasma and erythrocyte were higher in cord blood compared to levels in maternal blood (P<0.001). Maternal plasma and erythrocyte DHA levels had a positive association with the respective levels in cord blood (P<0.001). However, such an association was not seen for AA levels. Maternal plasma omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids were positively associated with the respective milk fatty acids (P<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that milk long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) status reflects the concentrations of maternal LCPUFA in women delivering babies at term. Improving the maternal LCPUFA status throughout pregnancy and lactation may improve the milk LCPUFA status and ultimately benefit the infant.
Kilari
Anitha S
AS
Department of Nutritional Medicine, Interactive Research School for Health Affairs, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune, India.
Mehendale
Savita S
SS
Dangat
Kamini D
KD
Yadav
Hemlata R
HR
Kulakarni
Asmita V
AV
Dhobale
Madhavi V
MV
Taralekar
Vaishali S
VS
Joshi
Sadhana R
SR
D000328:Adult; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007774:Lactation / Q000378:metabolism; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000378:metabolism; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid