Gestational Diabetes and Changes in the Fatty Acid Spectrum in Umbilical Blood of Neonates

Overview

In newborns born to mothers with gestational diabetes, using gas chromatography, the spectrum of serum fattyacids (from umbilical blood) just after delivery, was assessed. The newborns (n = 10) were born in term (40.1 weeksgestational age) with physiological parameters: body weight (3836 g) and length (50.1 cm). Fatty acids are expressedin % (i.e. their relative ratio) of total amount (ĺ = 100 %).The established values were compared with control data obtained in physiological newborns (n = 6).Gestational diabetes of pregnant mothers (IIIrd trimester of pregnancy) influences the fatty acid spectrum oftheir newborns:1. A significant increased percentage of saturated FA. 2. A significant decrease of polyunsaturated n-3 andn-6 acids was described. There was a decrease of important fatty acids such as arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic anddocosahexaenoic FA. The possible mechanism as well as the possible after-effects of such changes and differencesare discussed.

Key words:
fatty acid spectrum, gestational diabetes, newborns