Assesment of polyunsaturated fatty acids in cord blood of infants of diabetic mothers

Objective:To assess whether infants of diabetic mothers [pre pregnancy diabetics(PPD)and gestational diabetics mellitus(GDM)] have compromised arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids in their plasma and the relationship with deficiency of the same compounds in their mothers.Methods:This study was conducted on 30 diabetic mothers(both PPD and GDM)and their infants.Twenty healthy infants and their mothers with age and sex matched were included as controls.All infant(of diabetic and non diabetic mothers)were subjected to assessment of APGAR Scoring,thorough history taking and anthropometric measures.Lipid profile components as well as polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFA)were assessed in diabetic GDM and PPD and non diabetic mothers as well as in their babies.Results:High-density lipoproteir(HDL)level was found to be significantly lower in diabetic mothers(specially those with PPD)compared to non diabetic ones,whereas no significant difference was found between babies of the two groups.Also,the current study revealed that diabetic mothers(GDM and PPD)and their babies had significantly higher levels of PUFA precursors linoleic acids(LA)and alpha linoleic acids(ALA).PUFA arachidonic acid(AA)and docosahexaenoic acids(DHA)were found to be significantly lower in diabetic mothers(GDM and PPD)compared to non diabetic mothers,and same results were found in the babies of the two groups.Conclusion:Neonates with diabetic mothers(both GDM and PPD)have highly compromised plasma levels of AA and DHA PUFA,which affects the child well being by far,and produces hazardous multi-system complications on the long run.