[Erythrocyte and dietary omega-3 fatty acid profile in overweight and obese pregnant women].

Introduction: docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) play an important role in fetal growth and development. In Mexico, 76.8 % of women of reproductive age are overweight and obese, which is associated with the development of gestational complications. EPA and DHA fatty acids have an anti-inflammatory effect, reducing the risk of developing complications.

Objective: to evaluate the erythrocyte and dietary profile of omega-3 fatty acids in overweight and obese pregnant women.

Materials And Methods: a prospective, cross-sectional, comparative and observational study in pregnant women with less than 14 weeks of gestation. Dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids was evaluated by dietary diary; and levels of omega-3 fatty acids in erythrocyte membranes were evaluated by gas chromatography.

Results: the mean dietary intake of EPA and DHA fatty acids was 0.027 g and 0.095 g, respectively. The erythrocyte profile was 2.90 for EPA and 1.50 DHA, no differences between normal and overweight women was found.

Conclusion: the dietary intake and erythrocyte profile of omega-3 of pregnant women is lower than the reference parameters, with no significant differences between normal and overweight women.