ABSTRACT
A treatment of intravenous infusion of glucose, amino acids, and emulsion enriched
in essential fatty acids (EFAs), linoleic, and linolenic acids were given to 30 pregnant
women with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and 28 non-EFAs treated cases as
controls. There was a marked gain in fetal biparietal diameter (BPD) and in the estimated
weight of the treated group over the control group. The mean birth weight was significantly
different in the two groups. Fetal BPD increased much more in patients treated with
EFAs at 28-34 gestational weeks than those at 34 1/7-37 weeks, which indicates that
early initiate complement of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids to IUGR mothers may correct pregnancy-induced EFAs deficiency and maternal-fetal
malnutrition, which demonstrates a fetal catch-up of growth in the brain and the whole
body.
Keywords
Fetal growth retardation - pregnancy maintenance - therapeutic use - fatty acids -
essential fatty acids
