RELATION BETWEEN BIRTH-ORDER AND THE MATERNAL AND NEONATAL DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID STATUS

Objective: To investigate whether succeeding pregnancies will affect t he maternal and neonatal docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) status. D esign: Cross-sectional study. Subjects: Women who were pregnant for th e Ist to 7th time and took part in a longitudinal study to investigate the essential fatty acid status of pregnant women and their infants. The total study population comprised 98 primigravidae (PG) and 146 mul tigravidae (MG), Main outcome measures: Fatty acid profiles of phospho lipids isolated from maternal plasma samples collected during pregnanc y and after delivery, and of umbilical plasma, vein and artery, obtain ed immediately after birth. Results: The absolute (mg/L) and relative (% of total fatty acids) amounts of DHA in maternal plasma phospholipi ds (PL) were significantly lower in MG than in PG, In addition, a sign ificant negative correlation was observed between gravida number and t he DHA content in maternal plasma samples, The DHA deficiency index (2 2:5n-6/22:4n-6) was significantly higher and the DHA sufficiency index (22:6n-3/22:5n-6) was significantly lower in umbilical plasma of infa nts born of RIG than in that of infants born of PG. The relative DHA c ontent of umbilical artery and vein vessel walls was significantly low er in MG- than in PG-neonates and significant negative associations we re observed between birth order and the relative amounts of DHA in cor d tissues. Conclusions: These results indicate that the maternal DHA s tatus becomes reduced after each following pregnancy, which may result in a lower neonatal DHA status. Whether or not this has also function al consequences needs to be investigated further. Sponsorship: Financi al support for this project was provided by Nutricia Research.