Gestational diabetes mellitus: low Omega 3 concentrations and possible fetal problems

Women with gestational diabetes mellitus, an alteration in glucose metabolism that appears during pregnancy, possess low concentrations ofOmega 3 DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in plasma, placenta, and umbilical cord. This condition could limit the passage of DHA to the fetus and thus cause neuronal developmental deficits.

This is how a group of researchers from the University of Murcia (Spain) explains the controversial association between the condition and low concentration of long-chain fatty acids in the unborn child. The study was published in theAmerican Journal of Physiology.

Long-chain fatty acid deficiency causes defects in brain development

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common complications of pregnancy and is an expanding condition due to the worldwide increase in overweight and obesity. The prevalence of this condition varies widely, probably due to different approaches and measures in different research. In the US, for example, it is estimated that GDM affected 7.6 percent of pregnancies that occurred between 1999 and 2005. GDM is a harmful condition for both mother and child. In fact, it is associated with perinatal complications, increases the risk for the mother to get type 2 diabetes and for the offspring to develop metabolic syndrome or obesity. This condition also promotes the onset of defects in fetal neurodevelopment, causing altered behavior, delayed brain growth, reduced motor skills, high inattention and memory deficits in children. According to previous studies, deficiencies in neuronal development are related to the deficiency in these children of long-chain fatty acids. In fact, Omega-3 DHA is essential for brain development, maintenance and functioning, being one of the main components of the membranes of neurons.

In diabetic women, DHA was lower than in healthy controls

The study involved 20 pregnant women, 11 healthy and 9 with GDM, who were about to undergo cesarean delivery. Each of them took, 12 hours before delivery, a ^13Cisotope-labeled DHA supplement , in doses of 0.5 mg per kg of body weight All women involved in the study possessed similar Body Mass Index, insulin and glucose levels. Similar were the infant's anthropometric measurements at birth, but differed in gestational age (39.8 and 38.2 weeks, for controls and mothers with GDM, respectively). Blood from each subject was collected in the 12, 3, 2, 1 h before delivery and then immediately after. In addition, venous and arterial blood from the umbilical cord and placental tissue were collected. Each sample was analyzed for labeled DHA content using mass spectrometry.

Isotope measurement in maternal plasma, placenta, and umbilical cord allowed estimation of the distribution of ^13CDHA between mother and fetus and maternal plasma and placenta, The results showed that in women with GDM, the concentration of labeled DHA among total lipids was significantly lower in plasma, placenta, and umbilical cord blood than in controls . Moreover, in women with diabetes, compared with healthy women, the plasma concentration of labeled DHA in phospholipids was lower, while that in triglycerides was slightly higher. The ratio of ^13CDHA concentration in cord blood to that in maternal plasma appeared lower in GDM mothers than in controls, as did the ratio of concentration in the placenta to maternal plasma, showing a reduction in the passage from the mother's blood to the placenta, and thus to the fetus.

Interesting findings that need to be explored further

The results suggest that women with GDM possess low concentrations of DHA in plasma, cord blood and placenta, resulting in a deficiency of the molecule in the fetus. In addition, the passage from the mother's plasma to the placenta is also impaired. These findings are in contrast to those of previous studies in which the concentrations of DHA and arachidonic acid in the placenta of women with GDM were higher than in controls, suggesting that the fatty acids were retained in the placenta without being able to pass to the fetus. Further studies will be needed to elucidate the mechanisms associated with this type of diabetes and to understand the benefits of supplementation with polyunsaturated fatty acids during the period of fetal development To stay up-to-date on the latest news from Omega-3 scientific research 

Source: 

Pagán A, Prieto-Sánchez MT, Blanco-Carnero JE, Gil-Sánchez A, Parrilla JJ, Demmelmair H, Koletzko B, Larqué E. "Maternal-fetal transfer of docosahexaenoic acid is impaired by gestational diabetes mellitus." Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2013 Oct 1;305(7):E826-33