Effects of Alcohol Intake During Pregnancy on Docosahexaenoic Acid and Arachidonic Acid in Umbilical Cord Vessels of Black Women

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective. Alcohol influences the intake and metabolism of several nutrients including longchain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs). The LCPUFAs docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) are particularly crucial for intrauterine growth and brain development. We hypothesized that alcohol consumption adversely affects LC-PUFA levels in pregnant women and their newborn infants.Methods. Pregnant black women (N ‫؍‬ 208) presenting at a core city antenatal clinic were screened and recruited. Shortly before delivery, maternal plasma was collected. After delivery, umbilical arteries and veins were dissected from the cords, total lipids were extracted from the vessel tissues and maternal plasma, and fatty acid levels were assayed by gas chromatography. For statistical analysis, subjects were categorized according to absolute alcohol intake per day (AAD) and absolute alcohol intake per drinking day (AADD) around the time of conception, with smoking and other potential confounders included in the analyses.Results. Significant differences in fatty acid composition of total lipid extracts were detected in umbilical cord vessels among the AADD groups: abstainers (AADD ‫؍‬ 0), moderate drinkers (AADD < 130 g), and heavy drinkers (AADD > 130 g). DHA and AA content in the arterial umbilical vessel wall was ϳ14% and ϳ10% higher in the moderate (n ‫؍‬ 127) and heavy (n ‫؍‬ 32) alcohol groups, respectively, than in abstainers (n ‫؍‬ 49). A small, nonsignificant increase (ϳ3%) was seen in the umbilical vein for AA but not for DHA. Alcohol intake was positively correlated to both DHA and AA concentrations in the arterial vessel wall but to neither in the venous wall nor maternal plasma. Maternal plasma DHA was positively correlated with both umbilical arteries and vein DHA, but there were no significant correlations for AA between maternal plasma and either umbilical vessel.Conclusions. Our findings indicate that alcohol intake during pregnancy is associated with altered DHA and AA status in fetal tissues. Although differences may be due to either metabolism and/or distribution, it is most likely a result of a direct influence of alcohol on fetal metabolism. Pediatrics 2005;115:e194-e203. URL: www.pediatrics.org/cgi

Recognized spontaneous abortion in mid-pregnancy and patterns of pregnancy alcohol use

“…The sample of 302 pregnant women was a subset of a larger cohort of 443 African-American inner-city mothers who were participants in a study of long-term effects of prenatal alcohol and under-nutrition on perinatal development (cf., Beblo et al, 2005; Stark et al, 2005a; 2005b). The mothers were recruited initially at their first antenatal visit to a large, inner-city maternity clinic serving primarily (~92%) African-American women.…”

“…The mothers were recruited initially at their first antenatal visit to a large, inner-city maternity clinic serving primarily (~92%) African-American women. Since the vast majority of the women were African American, the sample was restricted to this group (Beblo et al, 2005; Chiodo et al, 2009; Stark et al, 2005a; 2005b). Recruitment in the parent study oversampled drinking women.…”

Validity of the T-ACE in pregnancy in predicting child outcome and risk drinking

“…The sample consisted of 75 African-American, inner-city mothers and their children who were participants in a larger (N=332) ongoing study of the long-term effects of prenatal alcohol exposure and nutrition on pregnancy outcome and development (e.g., Beblo, et al, 2005; Chiodo, et al, 2009; Stark, et al, 2005b, a; 2005b). The mothers were recruited initially at their first antenatal clinic visit to a large, inner-city maternity hospital serving primarily African-American women (92%).…”

“…Each gravida was questioned about her drinking on a day-by-day basis over 1) the preceding two weeks, just prior to the initial antenatal clinic visit, which on average occurred at the 16 th week of gestation (range: 5 to 28 weeks), 2) retrospectively for the two weeks around the peri-conceptional period, and 3) for the two weeks preceding each subsequent antenatal visit, using a semi-structured interview validated in pregnant women (Sokol et al, 1989). Drinking volume was noted for each day, converted to average ounces of absolute alcohol per day (AAD) for each period based on beverage type, and then data from all visits were used to generate a measure of average consumption across pregnancy (AADXP) which has demonstrated predictive validity for various prenatal alcohol-related outcomes (e.g., Beblo, et al, 2005; Jacobson, et al, 1994; 1998; 2002; Nordstrom-Bailey, et al, 2004). An AADXP ≥ 0.5 defined in-pregnancy risk drinking and was used originally to validate the quick T-ACE screen (Sokol, et al, 1989; Russell, et al, 1996).…”

The Δ4-desaturation pathway for DHA biosynthesis is operative in the human species: Differences between normal controls and children with the Zellweger syndrome

“…Even in the adult, DHA is being increasingly recommended to improve several conditions, with more or less convincing basis and results. Thus, based on its marginally decreased levels, DHA is currently being recommended as a supplement for such varied diseases as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder [5], fetal alcohol syndrome [6], phenylketonuria [7], schizophrenia [8], unipolar depression [9], aggressive behavior [10], Alzheimer's disease [11] and diabetes [12]. However, it is only in one group of diseases -the Zellweger syndrome and its related phenotypes- where the DHA levels are dramatically diminished in all tissues, including the brain and retina [13,14].…”