This study was designed to investigate the effect of gestational diabe
tes on the content of lipids in decidua free placental tissue. It was
realized by comparing fatty acid contents in placentae from normal ter
m pregnancies with those from pregnancies complicated with gestational
diabetes. All pregnancies were terminated by cesarean section. There
was a highly significant increase in placental content of palmitic aci
d, stearic acid and in total lipids in gestational diabetic patients.
There was no significant difference between two groups in total linole
ic and total arachidonic acid.