Impaired maternal glucose homeostasis during pregnancy is associated with low status of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) and essential fatty acids (EFA) in the fetus

Low status of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCP) and essential fatty acids (EFA) in the fetus is associated with less favorable neonatal neurological condition. A 'relative', rather than 'absolute' EFA deficiency might explain this finding. A relative EFA deficiency may derive from impaired maternal glucose homeostasis. We measured fatty acids in umbilical vessels of infants born to 7 mothers with (gestational) diabetes mellitus and of 258 infants born to healthy mothers. Umbilical veins of infants of diabetic mothers had higher omega 7 and omega 9 fatty acids and DHA deficiency index and lower 20:4 omega 6 and EFA index. Their umbilical arteries had higher omega 7 and omega 9 fatty acids, and lower 20:4 omega 6, LCP and EFA index. We conclude that children born to mothers with poor glucose homeostasis have lower EFA and LCP status, which is consistent with a 'relative deficiency' deriving from augmented de novo fatty acid synthesis from the abundant glucose. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.