Summary
Using gas-liquid chromatography the relative fatty acid composition of serum lecithin was measured in 22 women, during and after pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia, and the results were compared with those in 21 “normal” puerperal women.
The increased values of 22 : 6 in the linolenic acid series found during pregnancy in women who had pre-eclampsia were also noted in the puerperium and the 22 : 6 value fell to normal more slowly. This might be due to an enhanced activity of the deacylation-reacylation cycle in this group of patients.
All other fatty acids showed a rapid return to normal with values comparable to those of “normal” puerperal women 1 week after delivery. The differences in essential fatty acid distribution between normal and pre-eclamptic women did not seem to have a dietary cause.
The prostaglandin precursors (arachidonic and dihomo-γ-linolenic acids) were not reduced during pre-eclampsia or in the puerperium.
Neither breast-feeding nor treatment of hypertension with hydralazine seemed to influence the fatty composition of serum lecithin.
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Rosing, U., Johnson, P., Ölund, A. et al. The fatty acid composition of serum lecithin after pregnancy complicated by pre-eclampsia. Arch. Gynecol. 236, 109–117 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02134007
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02134007