American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 59, 454S-463S, Copyright © 1994 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc

REVIEW ARTICLES

Benefits and risks of modifying maternal fat intake in pregnancy and lactation

DL Hachey
Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030.

The National Cholesterol Education Program recommends that healthy Americans aged > 2 y reduce energy intake to maintain ideal body weight, saturated fat to 10% of energy, fat intake to 30% of energy, and cholesterol consumption to < 300 mg/d. Although these guidelines exclude pregnant or lactating women, nursing infants, and very young children, women with gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and familial hyperlipidemias may benefit from them. In a normal pregnancy, serum cholesterol and triglycerides rise 25-40% and 200-400%, respectively. Multiparous middle-aged women may have an increased incidence of angina and cholesterol gallstones from the hypercholesterolemia of pregnancy. Few studies support the safety of maternal low-fat diets for the developing fetus or demonstrate benefits to the mother. Polyunsaturated fatty acids lower serum lipids, and n-3 fatty acids may improve some obstetric complications. Arachidonic acid (20:4) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6) may benefit the psychomotor and visual development of children.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. J Otto, A. C van Houwelingen, A. Badart-Smook, and G. Hornstra Comparison of the peripartum and postpartum phospholipid polyunsaturated fatty acid profiles of lactating and nonlactating women Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, June 1, 2001; 73(6): 1074 - 1079. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. J Otto, A. C van Houwelingen, A. Badart-Smook, and G. Hornstra Changes in the maternal essential fatty acid profile during early pregnancy and the relation of the profile to diet Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, February 1, 2001; 73(2): 302 - 307. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. Amusquivar, F. J. Ruperez, C. Barbas, and E. Herrera Low Arachidonic Acid Rather than {alpha}-Tocopherol Is Responsible for the Delayed Postnatal Development in Offspring of Rats Fed Fish Oil Instead of Olive Oil during Pregnancy and Lactation J. Nutr., November 1, 2000; 130(11): 2855 - 2865. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]