Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Impairs the Proportion of Fatty Acids in Umbilical Artery but not in Umbilical Vein Plasma
- Henar Ortega-Senovilla, PhD1,
- Gioia Alvino, MD2,
- Emanuela Taricco, MD2,
- Irene Cetin, MD2 and
- Emilio Herrera, PhD (eherrera{at}ceu.es)1
- 1Faculties of Pharmacy and Medicine, Universidad San Pablo-CEU, Madrid, Spain, and
- 2Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology I, IRCCS Fondazione Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
Abstract
Objective: Neonates of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have reduced levels of arachidonic- (AA, 20:4n6) and docosahexaenoic- (DHA, 22:6n3) acids. To assess whether this is the result of impaired placental transfer or endogenous fetal metabolism, fatty acids in umbilical vein and arterial plasma were analyzed in neonates of GDM women.
Methods: Fatty acids were analyzed by gas chromatography in plasma of 15 GDM and 30 healthy controls undergoing elective caesarean section and of vein and artery cord blood collected separately.
Results: The percent of AA, DHA, total n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) as well as total PUFA was lower in umbilical artery but not in venous plasma of GDM versus controls.
Conclusions: An altered handling or metabolism of long-chain PUFA by the fetus rather than impaired placental transfer seems to be responsible for the lower proportion of those fatty acids in plasma of neonates of GDM mothers.
Footnotes
-
- Received April 8, 2008.
- Accepted October 1, 2008.
- Copyright © American Diabetes Association
