Maternal consumption of polyphenol-rich foods in late pregnancy and fetal ductus arteriosus flow dynamics.
OBJECTIVE
To test the hypothesis that maternal consumption of polyphenol-rich foods during third trimester interferes with fetal ductal dynamics by inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis.


METHODS
In a prospective analysis, Doppler ductal velocities and right-to-left ventricular dimensions ratio of 102 fetuses exposed to polyphenol-rich foods (daily estimated maternal consumption >75th percentile, or 1089 mg) were compared with 41 unexposed fetuses (flavonoid ingestion <25th percentile, or 127 mg).


RESULTS
In the exposed fetuses, ductal velocities were higher (systolic: 0.96+/-0.23 m/s; diastolic: 0.17+/-0.05 m/s) and right-to-left ventricular ratio was higher (1.23+/-0.23) than in unexposed fetuses (systolic: 0.61+/-0.18 m/s, P<0.001; diastolic: 0.11+/-0.04 m/s, P=0.011; right-to-left ventricular ratio: 0.94+/-0.14, P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
As maternal polyphenol-rich foods intake in late gestation may trigger alterations in fetal ductal dynamics, changes in perinatal dietary orientation are warranted.
Zielinsky
P
P
Fetal Cardiology Unit, Institute of Cardiology of Rio Grande do Sul/FUC, Porto Alegre, Brazil. zielinsky@cardiol.br
Piccoli
A L
AL
Manica
J L
JL
Nicoloso
L H
LH
Menezes
H
H
Busato
A
A
Moraes
M R
MR
Silva
J
J
Bender
L
L
Pizzato
P
P
Aita
L
L
Alievi
M
M
Vian
I
I
Almeida
L
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D015930:Diet Records; D004373:Ductus Arteriosus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D010636:Phenols / Q000378:metabolism*; D059808:Polyphenols; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055815:Young Adult
D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D059808:Polyphenols