Influence of Diet on Blood Serum Lipids in Pregnant Women and Newborn Infants

Abstract

The study was designed to determine the influence of dietary components of thirty pregnant women on their serum lipids and those of their neonates. No significant correlations were observed between the mothers' intakes for calories, protein, total fat, saturated fat, monoene or linoleic acids and their serum cholesterol, total fatty acids, linoleic acid, or arachidonic acids in the third trimester. Serum lipids of the neonates showed no correlation with those of the mothers or with the nutrient intakes of the mothers. Cholesterol, total fatty acid and linoleic acid levels in serum were significantly higher for prospective mothers than for the newborn. Serum arachidonic acid levels were significantly lower for the mothers than for the infants at birth. Arachidonic acid levels were significantly higher for the mothers two to nine weeks postpartum than during pregnancy. Linoleic acid in the young infants' diets profoundly influenced their serum levels for linoleic and arachidonic acids.