Influence of gestational diabetes mellitus on fatty acid concentrations in human colostrum.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to examine differences in fatty acid concentrations in colostrum of women with and without gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The effect of GDM on fatty acid composition of colostrum is not fully understood, although rates of GDM are increasing globally.


METHODS
A prospective case-control study was conducted of postpartum women with and without GDM. Gas chromatographic analysis was conducted to examine differences in colostral fatty acids of the colostrum samples of 29 women with and 34 without GDM.


RESULTS
Analyses of the fatty acid composition revealed significantly higher concentrations of four essential ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids-γ-linolenic, eicosatrienoic, arachidonic, and docosatetraenoic-in the colostrum of GDM women compared with non-GDM women. Timing of collection influenced saturated medium chain fatty acid and monounsaturated fatty acid levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in concentrations of ω-6 fatty acids but not in dietary linoleic fatty acid or ω-3 fatty acids suggest that altered concentrations are attributed to changes in specific endogenous metabolic pathways. Implications of higher concentrations of ω-6 fatty acids in the colostrum of women with GDM have yet to be determined. Timing of colostrum collection is critical in determining colostral fatty acid and metabolite concentrations.
School of Nursing, College of Health Sciences and Professions, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio. Electronic address: chertok@ohio.edu.
Ilana R
IR
Azulay Chertok
Department of Social Medicine, Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dublin, Ohio.
Zelalem T
ZT
Haile
Department of Neonatology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
Smadar
S
Eventov-Friedman
Biology of Lactation Laboratory, Institute of Animal Science, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
Nissim
N
Silanikove
Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
Nurit
N
Argov-Argaman
D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D003126:Colostrum / Q000737:chemistry*; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid / Q000032:analysis
D001786:Blood Glucose; D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid
Breastfeeding; Colostrum; Fatty acids; Gestational diabetes mellitus pregnancy