caa a22 4500 38806322X CHVBK 20180307125127.0 cr unu---uuuuu 161130e199807 xx s 000 0 eng 10.1017/S0007114598001780 doi S0007114598001780 pii (NATIONALLICENCE)cambridge-10.1017/S0007114598001780 Maternal and neonatal plasma antioxidant levels in normal pregnancy, and the relationship with fatty acid unsaturation [Elektronische Daten] During pregnancy, maternal plasma concentrations of the peroxidation-susceptible polyunsaturated fatty acids (polyenes) increase. In addition, the proportion of polyenes is higher in neonatal plasma than in maternal plasma. To study whether these increased amounts of polyenes affect antioxidant levels, we measured lipid-soluble antioxidants in maternal and neonatal plasmas obtained during thirty-five normal pregnancies. These values were then related to the degree of phospholipid-fatty acid unsaturation. Maternal plasma levels of tocopherols and lutein increased during pregnancy, as assessed at 14, 22, and 32 weeks of gestation. However, β-carotene levels decreased, and levels of other carotenoids remained unchanged. Retinol levels were only decreased at 32 weeks of gestation. The value for α-tocopherol: phospholipid-polyene unsaturation index (UI) also increased during pregnancy, despite the observed increase in UI. Corresponding ratios for several carotenoids and retinol, however, decreased during pregnancy. After delivery, maternal plasma levels of δ-tocopherol and β + γ-tocopherol, as well as β + γ-tocopherol: UI values, were lower than values at 32 weeks of gestation. Umbilical-cord plasma antioxidant levels and antioxidant: UI values, except retinol: UI, were significantly lower than maternal values. Significant and consistent cord ν. maternal correlations were observed for plasma levels of β + γ-tocopherol, lutein and β-carotene, but not for δ-tocopherol, α-tocopherol, lycopene, α-carotene, and retinol. In conclusion, although during pregnancy maternal plasma tocopherol levels increased concurrently with, or more than, fatty acid unsaturation in plasma phospholipids, the decrease in carotenoid: UI values during gestation, the decrease in maternal plasma levels of δ-tocopherol and β + γ-tocopherol after delivery, and the low neonatal antioxidant levels merit further investigation. Copyright © The Nutrition Society 1998 Pregnancy nationallicence Fatty acid unsaturation nationallicence Antioxidants nationallicence Oostenbrug Gerard S. Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands Mensink Ronald P. Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands Al Monique D. M. Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands van Houwelingen Adriana C. Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands Hornstra Gerard Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands British Journal of Nutrition Cambridge University Press 80/1(1998-07), 67-73 0007-1145 80:1<67 1998 80 BJN https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114598001780 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114598001780 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Oostenbrug Gerard S. Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Mensink Ronald P. Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Al Monique D. M. Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- van Houwelingen Adriana C. Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands NATIONALLICENCE 700 1- Hornstra Gerard Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 50, 6229 ER, Maastricht, The Netherlands NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- British Journal of Nutrition Cambridge University Press 80/1(1998-07), 67-73 0007-1145 80:1<67 1998 80 BJN CC0 http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0 nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-cambridge