Lower Inter-Partum Interval and Unhealthy Life-Style Factors Are Inversely Associated with n-3 Essential Fatty Acids Changes during Pregnancy: A Prospective Cohort with Brazilian Women

OBJECTIVE: To analyze serum fatty acids concentrations during healthy pregnancy and evaluate whether socioeconomic, demographic, obstetric, nutritional, anthropometric and lifestyle factors are associated with their longitudinal changes. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort of 225 pregnant women was followed in the 5(th)–13(th), 20(th)–26(th) and 30(th)–36(th) weeks of gestation. Serum samples were collected in each trimester of pregnancy and analyzed to determine the fatty acids composition using a high-throughput robotic direct methylation method coupled with fast gas-liquid chromatography. The independent variables comprised the subjects’ socioeconomic and demographic status, obstetric history, early pregnancy body mass index (BMI), dietary and lifestyle parameters. Analyses were performed using linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS: The overall absolute concentrations of fatty acids increased from the 1(st) to the 2(nd) trimester and slightly increased from the 2(nd) to the 3(rd) trimester. Early pregnancy BMI, inter-partum interval and weekly fish intake were the factors associated with changes in eicosapentaenoic + docosahexaenoic acids (EPA+DHA) and total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Early pregnancy BMI, age and monthly per-capita income were inversely associated with the changes in the n-6/n-3 ratio. Alcohol consumption was positively associated with the n-6/n-3 ratio. CONCLUSION: Early pregnancy BMI was positively associated with EPA+DHA and total n-3 PUFAs, while presenting a reduced weekly fish intake and a lower inter-partum interval were associated with lower levels of n-3 PUFAs. A lower per-capita family income and a drinking habit were factors that were positively associated with a higher n-6/n-3 ratio.