title: Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in mothers of preterm babies.
abstract: to examine 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 of preterm babies.
  
  
  
  a total of 63 mothers of preterm babies were recruited from the Bharati Medical Hospital, Pune, India.
  
  
  
  plasma and erythrocyte DHA and AA levels were higher (P<0.001) in cord blood than in maternal blood. Maternal plasma DHA and AA were positively (P<0.01) associated with their respective maternal erythrocyte levels. There was a positive association (P<0.01) between maternal DHA (both plasma and erythrocyte) and cord DHA. Maternal plasma omega 3 and 6 fatty acids were positively (P<0.01) associated with their respective milk fatty acids.
  
  
  
  higher DHA and AA levels in cord blood compared to the mothers suggests a special mechanism to meet the increased demand of the fetus. Higher levels of milk DHA reflect the increased postnatal requirement of preterm babies suggesting a vital role for maternal milk. Lower maternal erythrocyte DHA concentrations in mothers delivering preterm as compared to term suggest that increased oxidative stress may be responsible for reduced DHA levels. This may alter the uterotonic factors like prostaglandins leading to premature triggering of labor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Medicine, Interactive Research School for Health Affairs, Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune 411043, India.
authors.forename: Anitha S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Kilari
authors.forename: Savita S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Mehendale
authors.forename: Kamini D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Dangat
authors.forename: Hemalata R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: Arti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Vaishali S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Taralekar
authors.forename: Sadhana R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Joshi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008895:Milk, Human / Q000737:chemistry*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid