The association between interpregnancy interval and birth weight: what is the role of maternal polyunsaturated fatty acid status?
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to evaluate the mediating role of maternal early pregnancy plasma levels of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) in the association of interpregnancy interval (IPI) with birth weight and smallness for gestational age (SGA) at birth.


METHODS
We analysed a subsample of the Amsterdam Born Children and their Development (ABCD) cohort, comprising 1,659 parous pregnant women recruited between January 2003 and March 2004. We used linear and logistic regression to evaluate the associations between fatty acid status, interpregnancy interval and pregnancy outcome.


RESULTS
Low plasma phospholipids concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA), and high concentrations of arachidonic acid (AA) during early pregnancy were associated with reduced birth weight and/or an increased risk of SGA. Short IPIs (< 6 months, with 18-23 months as a reference) were associated with a mean decrease of 207.6 g (SE: ± 73.1) in birth weight (p = 0.005) and a twofold increased risk of SGA (OR: 2.05; CI: 0.93-4.51; p = 0.074). Adjustment for maternal fatty acid concentrations did not affect these results to any meaningful extent.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the observed association of maternal early pregnancy LCPUFA status with birth weight and SGA, our study provides no evidence for the existence of an important role of maternal EPA, DHA, DGLA or AA in the association of short interpregnancy intervals with birth weight and SGA.
Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, the Netherlands. luc.smits@epid.unimaas.nl
Luc J M
LJ
Smits
Hester M
HM
Elzenga
Reinoud J B J
RJ
Gemke
Gerard
G
Hornstra
Manon
M
van Eijsden
D000328:Adult; D001721:Birth Intervals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age / Q000502:physiology*; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D009426:Netherlands; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated