Maternal Blood Fatty Acid Levels in Fetal Growth Restriction

• Main Authors: Raquel Margiotte Grohmann (Author), Vivian Macedo Gomes Marçal (Author), Isabela César Corazza (Author), Alberto Borges Peixoto (Author), Edward Araujo Júnior (Author), Luciano Marcondes Machado Nardozza (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Federação Brasileira das Sociedades de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, 2023-07-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 0100-7203; 10.1055/s-0043-1768455
• Keywords: Fetal growth restriction; Maternal blood; Appropriate for gestational age; Fatty acids; Gynecology and obstetrics; RG1-991
• Source: Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, Vol 45, Iss 3, Pp 127-133 (2023)

Abstract Objective: To assess the maternal blood levels of fatty acids (FAs) in pregnancies with fetal growth restriction (FGR). Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study included pregnant women with gestational age between 26 and 37 + 6 weeks with FGR and appropriate for gestational age (AGA) fetuses. The levels of saturated, trans, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated FAs were measured using centrifugation and liquid chromatography. The Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney test, and general linear model, with gestational age and maternal weight as covariants, were used to compare FA levels and the FGR and AGA groups. The Chi-square was used to evaluate the association between groups and studied variables. Results: Maternal blood sample was collected from 64 pregnant women, being 24 FGR and 40 AGA. A weak positive correlation was found between the palmitoleic acid level and maternal weight (r = 0.285, p = 0.036). A weak negative correlation was found between the gamma-linoleic acid level and gestational age (r = −0.277, p = 0.026). The median of the elaidic acid level (2.3 vs. 4.7ng/ml, p = 0.045) and gamma-linoleic acid (6.3 vs. 6.6ng/ml, p = 0.024) was significantly lower in the FGR than the AGA group. The palmitoleic acid level was significantly higher in the FGR than AGA group (50.5 vs. 47.6ng/ml, p = 0.033). Conclusion: Pregnant women with FGR had lower elaidic acid and gamma-linoleic acid levels and higher palmitoleic acid levels than AGA fetuses.