Influence of caesarean delivery and maternal factors on fat-soluble vitamins in blood from cord and neonates

We measured plasma and erythrocyte vitamin E (VE) and plasma vitamin A (VA) profiles in 48 full-term and 8 preterm pairs of neonates and their mothers at birth and we determined whether there is any relationship between mater nal and umbilical cord for the nutrients measured. At the same time, we ass essed the influence of the delivery type and neonate anthropometric measure ments on maternal and cord blood VA and VE levels. We measured vitamin leve ls in Vein and arterial blood in order to establish differences due to feta l metabolism. To determine the influence of pregnancy on vitamin levels, we compared the maternal results with data from a group of 13 non-pregnant wo men. Cord blood had lower plasma VE (arterial 275.8 +/- 71.7 mu g/dl and ve in 282.89 +/- 64.4 mu g/dl values), erythrocyte VE (arterial 256.96 +/- 50. 41 mu g/dl packet cells and vein 257.41 +/- 44.35 mu g/dl values), and VA l evels (arterial 26.72 +/- 11.83 mu g/dl and 27.15 +/- 10.05 mu g/dl values) and a lower vitamin E/total lipids ratio (VE/LT) (arterial 1.60 +/- 0.4 an d vein 1.62 +/- 0.3 values) than maternal blood (1474.62 +/- 424.51 mu g/dl , 305.94 +/- 54.75 mu g/dl packet cells, 41.03 +/- 18.83 mu g/dl, 2.34 +/- 0.5, respectively). VA levels were higher in preterm than full-term neonate s (P < 0.05). Plasma and erythrocyte VE levels were not correlated in mater nal brood but were correlated in neonates and infants (r > 0.40; P < 0.01). We found a good correlation between erythrocyte tocopherol of maternal and cord blood (r > 0.40; P < 0.01), although there was no correlation with pl asma VE values. Cord vein plasma VE levels were higher than cord arterial b lood measurements (P < 0.01). The plasma VE and VE/LT of the mother and cor d following vaginal delivery were higher than measurements from caesarean d elivery (P < 0.05), although erythrocyte levers were similar. The plasma VE level was higher in mothers at delivery than non-pregnant women. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.