Maternal mid-pregnancy long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid profile is associated with DHA-containing supplement use and neonatal anthropometric measures at birth: results from two Italian multicenter cohorts in SRI 72nd Annual Meeting: Scientific Program & Abstracts

Background Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) represent essential regulators of feto-placental development. We aimed to evaluate associations between maternal mid-pregnancy LC-PUFAs, DHA-containing supplement use and delivery outcomes. Methods A secondary analysis of two Italian multicenter cohorts was performed including healthy Caucasian non-obese women with a singleton spontaneous pregnancy. Two groups were based on the oral supplementation from the first trimester onwards with a multiple micronutrient supplement containing DHA 200 mg. A fasting venous blood sampling for LC-PUFA determination was performed between 24 and 34 gestational weeks. Pregnancy outcomes were collected at delivery. Multi-adjusted generalized linear models were performed to assess the associations between supplementation-based group, LC-PUFA concentrations, and pregnancy outcomes. Results 285 pregnant women were included, divided into the DHA-supplemented (n=167) and non-supplemented (n=113) groups. The DHA-supplemented group showed an increase in EPA and DHA concentrations, and a decrease in the ARA/EPA ratio compared to the non-supplemented group. No associations were detected between LC-PUFA profile and gestational age at delivery. Conversely, birth weight was positively associated with DHA and total LC-PUFA n-3 concentrations, and negatively associated with the LC-PUFA n-6/n-3 ratio, with an estimated reduced birth weight by 192.8 grams among women with DHA levels below the fifth percentile. Neonatal Pulsatily Index (PI) was negatively associated with LC-PUFA n-6 concentrations. Conclusions These results overall highlight significant associations between DHA-containing multivitamin supplementation and LC-PUFA n-3 and n-6 status, which is further associated with increased birth weight and reduced neonatal PI. Our results suggest the use of both maternal n-3 and n-6 series as clinical biomarkers of DHA supplementation and predictor of intrauterine growth and neonatal adiposity.