CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY OF PERCENTUAL CHANGES IN TOTAL PLASMATIC FATTY-ACIDS DURING PREGNANCY

Total plasma fatty acids were analysed in 75 first trimester pregnant women, 32 second trimester pregnant women, 27 women at delivery and 38 non-pregnant women. Eleven fatty acids were studied by capillar gas c hromatography SP-column. Compared with non-pregnant women, in the firs t trimester there was a significant percentual increase in palmitic, p almitoleic, stearic and docosahexaenoic acids, whereas linoleic and ei cosapentaenoic percentually decreased. Between the first and second tr imester a significant increase in the proportion of palmitic acid and a significant percentual decrease in arachidonic acid was detected. Be tween the second trimester and delivery the aforementioned changes wer e more marked. Between the second trimester and delivery there was als o a significant percentual increase in oleic and linolenic acids, wher eas the proportions of stearic, linoleic, dihomogammalinolenic and doc osahexaenoic acids significantly decreased. It is suggested that the i ntake in polyunsaturated fatty acids should be increased during pregna ncy, specially in the third trimester.