Impact of Maternal Lifestyle and Dietary Habits during Pregnancy on Newborn Metabolic Profile

Abstract

Expanded newborn screening (NBS) is a preventive program that allows for the early identification of over 40 congenital endocrine-metabolic diseases by analyzing dried blood spot samples collected from the newborn’s heel within 48–72 h of birth. The determination of amino acids and acyl-carnitines by Flow Injection Analysis Tandem Mass Spectrometry (FIA-MS/MS) may also highlight metabolic alterations resulting from external factors, such as maternal nutrition. In the present study, we developed a questionnaire to investigate the eating habits of 109 women during pregnancy and statistically correlated the results from the investigation on dietary habits with the data obtained by the NBS laboratory of Abruzzo region (Italy). Parameters such as smoking, physical activity, and the intake of iodized salt, drugs, and supplements were analyzed. This study aimed to highlight how maternal lifestyle, diet, and drug intake during pregnancy may affect the neonatal metabolic profile, possibly generating false positive or false negative results in the NBS test. The results pointed out how the knowledge of maternal nutrition and lifestyle may also be precious in preventing misinterpretations of the neonatal metabolic profile, thereby reducing unnecessary stress for newborns and their parents and limiting costs for the health system.

Targeted and untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics in dried blood microsampling: Recent applications and perspectives

“…The majority of those papers adopted DBS collection methods. [37][38][39][40][41][42] Notably, Gao et al 43 deviated from this trend by validating a method using VAMS. In the case of Carling et al, 44 .…”

Maternal and Child Health, Non-Communicable Diseases and Metabolites

“…Metabolites play a role in shaping maternal and child health, and altered metabolite profiles ( Figure 1 C and Table 1 ) present in diseases and may lead to the onset of non-communicable diseases; therefore, more studies are required to provide insights on the interplay of maternal and child health and non-communicable diseases. Maternal nutrition and lifestyle influence fetal growth, development, health and well-being [ 152 ], and infant nutrition can, in turn, alter metabolite profiles [ 153 ]. During gestation and lactation, metabolite profiles may also be altered by the intake of drugs, physical activity, the consumption of iodized salt, supplements, and nervine beverages and smoking, which are all correlated with specific metabolites in neonates [ 153 ].…”

“…Maternal nutrition and lifestyle influence fetal growth, development, health and well-being [ 152 ], and infant nutrition can, in turn, alter metabolite profiles [ 153 ]. During gestation and lactation, metabolite profiles may also be altered by the intake of drugs, physical activity, the consumption of iodized salt, supplements, and nervine beverages and smoking, which are all correlated with specific metabolites in neonates [ 153 ]. Metabolites are altered by nutrition and physiological aberrations that result in excesses or deficiencies ( Figure 1 C).…”

Association of Maternal Age and Blood Markers for Metabolic Disease in Newborns

“…For example, advanced maternal age has been associated with complications such as placenta previa, gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, and higher risk for intra-uterine growth restriction, prematurity, and chromosomal abnormalities [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Maternal metabolism, lifestyle and dietary habits during pregnancy, maternal medical conditions, complications during pregnancy, vaginal delivery versus cesarean section, and environmental stressors such as fetal tobacco exposure have also been found to influence neonatal metabolism and adaptation [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ].…”