(548) Association between maternal serum essential fatty acids and fetal development: a prospective longitudinal study

It has become clear that neonatal body fat percentage is a risk factor for childhood obesity and early onset metabolic syndrome. Fetal fractional limb volume has recently attracted attention as a new indicator of fetal growth evaluation, including fetal adiposity. Especially, fetal fractional arm volume (AVol) is more useful in assessing fetal adiposity than fetal fractional thigh volume (TVol). ω-6 fatty acids (arachidonic acid [ARA]) and ω-3 fatty acids (eicosatetraenoic acid [EPA], docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) are essential fatty acids. However, their effects on fetal growth have not been elucidated. In this study, we examined the effects of ARA, EPA, and DHA in maternal serum on fetal limb volume.

Study Design:

A prospective study was conducted in a cohort of 60 singleton pregnancies. Maternal blood tests were obtained at 10, 24, and 30 weeks. The percentage of ARA, EPA and DHA in the total fatty acids was calculated. Fetal ultrasonography was performed at 24, 30 and 36 weeks and fractional limb volume was assessed as cylindrical limb volumes based on 50% of the fetal total diaphysis length using 3D ultrasonography with as AVol and TVol depending on past reports. After performing univariate analysis, multivariate analysis was performed considering confounding factors including maternal age, parity, pre-pregnancy body mass index, gestational weight gain, fetal sex, and gestational age at assessments, to determine the relationship between fatty acid percentage and fetal limb volume.

Results:

Maternal serum ARA at 10, 24 and 30 weeks were significantly and negatively correlated with AVol at 36 weeks. Multivariate analysis showed a negative correlation between ARA at 10 and 30 weeks and fetal AVol at 36 weeks. No significant correlation was found between ARA and TVol. There were no significant correlations between EPA and DHA and fetal AVol and TVol.

Conclusion:

ARA showed a significant negative correlation with fetal AVol in late pregnancy. It suggests that maternal serum ARA during pregnancy may be involved in fetal adiposity in late pregnancy.