TP. Differences in maternal circulating fatty acid composition and dietary fat intake in women with gestational diabetes mellitus or mild gestational hyperglycemia. Diabetes Care 2010

OBJECTIVE — We investigated the relationship between maternal circulating fatty acids (FAs) and dietary FA intake in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM; n 49), women with hyperglycemia less severe than GDM (impaired glucose challenge test [GCT] non-GDM; n 80), and normal control subjects (n 98). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS — A case-control design was nested within a prospective cohort of healthy pregnant women. Fasting concentrations of serum total FAs (en-zymatic assay) and FA composition (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) were determined at entry and the third trimester. Dietary fat intake data were obtained from 24-h recalls. RESULTS — There was a graded increase among groups (control subjects, impaired GCT non-GDM, and GDM) during the third trimester for total FAs and individual FAs, including myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and do-cosahexaenoic acids (P for trend 0.03 to P 0.001). Similar relationships were observed at entry in total FAs and for four FAs (myristic, palmitic, palmitoleic, and eicosapentaenoic acids). Women with impaired GCT non-GDM with BMI 25 kg/m2 had the highest levels of FAs at entry, whereas women with GDM with BMI25 kg/m2 had the highest levels during the thir