Maternal consumption of polyphenol-rich foods in late pregnancy and fetal ductus arteriosus flow dynamics

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that maternal consumption of polyphenol-rich foods during third trimester interferes with fetal ductal dynamics by inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. STUDY DESIGN: In a prospective analysis, Doppler ductal velocities and right-to-left ventricular dimensions ratio of 102 fetuses exposed to polyphenol-rich foods (daily estimated maternal consumption >75th percentile, or 1089 mg) were compared with 41 unexposed fetuses (flavonoid ingestion <25th percentile, or 127 mg). RESULT: In the exposed fetuses, ductal velocities were higher (systolic: 0.96±0.23 m/s; diastolic: 0.17±0.05 m/s) and right-to-left ventricular ratio was higher (1.23±0.23) than in unexposed fetuses (systolic: 0.61±0.18 m/s, P<0.001; diastolic: 0.11±0.04 m/s, P=0.011; right-to-left ventricular ratio: 0.94±0.14, P<0.001). CONCLUSION: As maternal polyphenol-rich foods intake in late gestation may trigger alterations in fetal ductal dynamics, changes in perinatal dietary orientation are warranted.