Docosahexaenoic acid is selectively enriched in plasma phospholipids during pregnancy in Trinidadian women--results of a pilot study

Burdge, Graham C., Sherman, Rachel C., Ali, Zulaika, Wootton, Stephen A. and Jackson, Alan A. (2006) Docosahexaenoic acid is selectively enriched in plasma phospholipids during pregnancy in Trinidadian women--results of a pilot study. Reproduction, Nutrition, Development, 46 (1), 63-67. (doi:10.1051/rnd:2005061).

Abstract

The fetal demand for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has to be satisfied by the mother. We determined the fatty acids in maternal plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), triacylglycerol (TAG) and phosphatidylcholine (PC), in a cross-sectional study of non-pregnant (n = 10), pregnant (n = 19), and postpartum (n = 9) women. There were lipid class-dependent differences in plasma polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations between groups. During pregnancy, DHA was most highly enriched in PC, about 230%, with more modest enrichment for linoleic acid (LA) and arachidonic acid (AA), and no enrichment of alpha-linolenic acid (alpha-LNA). There was relative enrichment of LA, AA and alpha-LNA in TAG, but not of DHA. There was no specific enrichment of any PUFA in the NEFA pool. These data accord with the suggestion that the enrichment of alpha-LNA in TAG and of DHA in phospholipids reflects hepatic regulation of n-3 PUFA metabolism which potentially enhances the delivery of DHA to the placenta.

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Contributors

Author: Graham C. Burdge

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