Maternal cereal consumption and adequacy of micronutrient intake in the periconceptional period.

Objective: To assess the adequacy of periconceptional intake of key micronutrients for perinatal health in relation to regular cereal consumption of pregnant women.

Design, Setting And Subjects: Low-income pregnant women (n 596) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, who enrolled in a cohort study at <20 weeks' gestation. These women reported usual dietary intake in the three months around conception on an FFQ.

System A amino acid transporter activity in term placenta is substrate specific and inversely related to amino acid concentration.

Using intact villous fragments from normal term placentas, the authors characterize the effect of reduced amino acid availability on amino acid uptake via the system A amino acid transporter. Villous fragments deprived of amino acids demonstrate increased system A activity compared with those incubated in an amino acid-sufficient medium (P < .05).