title: Lowered serum total L-carnitine levels are associated with obesity at term pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aims to compare the serum total l-carnitine concentrations of obese and non-obese pregnant women and to identify the role of L-carnitine in both maternal and fetal weight gain during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study reviews 118 healthy women with singleton term pregnancy (≥37 weeks). The characteristics of the recruited subjects were analyzed according to their pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The women with pre-pregnancy BMI < 18.5 kg/m(2) had significantly higher serum L-carnitine levels whereas the women with BMI > 29.9 kg/m(2) at term pregnancy had significantly lower serum l-carnitine levels (p = 0.001 for both). The neonates born to women with BMI > 29.9 kg/m(2) at term pregnancy had significantly longer height and wider head circumference (p = 0.001 for both). Serum total L-carnitine levels correlated significantly and negatively with pre-pregnancy body weight, pre-pregnancy BMI, pregnancy body weight, pregnancy BMI and serum triglyceride levels (r = -0.397, p = 0.001; r = -0.357, p = 0.001; r = -0.460, p = 0.001; r = -0.463, p = 0.001 and r = -0.216, p = 0.019, respectively). There was a significant and positive correlation between L-carnitine and HDL values (r = 0.243, p = 0.008).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The crucial role of L-carnitine in pregnancy metabolism suggests that nutritional supplementation of this amino acid can be offered to women who are either overweight or obese at the beginning of the pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and.
authors.forename: Pinar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tipi-Akbas
authors.forename: Dagistan Tolga
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Arioz
authors.forename: Mine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kanat-Pektas
authors.forename: Tulay
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koken
authors.forename: Gulengul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koken
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yilmazer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002331:Carnitine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005260:Female; D020567:Fetal Weight; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000097:blood*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014280:Triglycerides; D002331:Carnitine