Nutritional implications of trans fatty acids during perinatal period, in French pregnant women

Some studies have demonstrated the transfer of trans fatty acids (TFA) across the human placenta. It was suggested that TFA might disturb the metabolism of essential fatty acids (EFA) in fetus and consequently might affect intrauterine human growth more or less according to the TFA intake level of the mother. In this context, the objective of this study was to assess, for French pregnant women, possible impact of their TFA intake on parameters of their term infants: 1/ TFA composition of the umbilical cord (plasma lipids and parietal phospholipids), 2/ birth weight and head circumference. The TFA composition of maternal and umbilical plasma lipids, and parietal phospholipids of umbilical cord were determined by gas chromatography, associated with a thin-layer chromatography for the phospholipids. Because TFA content of adipose tissue is a reliable biochemical indicator of the usual TFA intake level, maternal adipose tissue was also analyzed. Trans fatty acid (TFA) percentage was significantly higher (p = 0.001) in maternal (0.9% of total fatty acids) than in umbilical plasma total lipids (0.6%) thus confirming their placental passage. Moreover, trans isomer pattern of cord plasma lipids was different from the maternal’s one, especially regarding trans isomers of linoleic acid (9c,12c-18:2). Percentage values of 9c,13t + 9t,12t and 9t,12c isomers were respectively, 2 and 3 times higher (p < 0.001) in umbilical than in maternal plasma (Except trans 16:1 acids). All trans isomers observed in umbilical plasma lipids were detected in both parietal and vessel (vein and arteries) phospholipids of umbilical cord. Nevertheless, 9c13t + 9t12t isomer mix level was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in artery than in vein TPL. Moreover, in artery TPL, percentage value of 9c13t+9t12t isomer mix was inversely correlated (r = - 0.703, p = 0.003) with arachidonic acid content. Nevertheless, for this French population, there was no relation between either weight or head circumference of newborn and the TFA levels in both adipose tissue and plasma lipids of their mother.

Abstract licence: CC BY

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