| Title | Maternal n-6 and n-3 fatty acid status during pregnancy is related to infant heart rate and heart rate variability: An exploratory study. | ||
| Author | Drewery, M L; Gaitan, A V; Spedale, S B; Monlezun, C J; Miketinas, D C; Lammi-Keefe, C J | ||
| Journal | Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids | Publication Year/Month | 2017-Nov |
| PMID | 29031389 | PMCID | -N/A- |
| Affiliation + expend | 1.Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States. Electronic address: merrittdrewery@gmail.com. | ||
Early life heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) reflect autonomic system maturation. Intervention with n-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) during pregnancy favorably affects fetal HR and HRV, complementing previous observations for n-3 LCPUFA intervention during infancy. The relationship between maternal fatty acid status during pregnancy and infant HR/HRV has not previously been assessed. The aim of this study was to explore associations between maternal n-6 and n-3 fatty acid status during pregnancy and infant HR and HRV at 2 weeks, 4 months, and 6 months of age using linear regression models. Maternal n-3 fatty acids were inversely related to infant HR and positively related to HRV. Conversely, maternal n-6 fatty acids were positively related to infant HR and inversely related to HRV. These data build on existing literature evidencing a role for n-3 fatty acids in accelerating autonomic development and link n-6 fatty acids to HR/HRV.