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Abstract
Objective: This study was designed to assess the effects of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on inflammatory factors, biomarkers of oxidative stress, and pregnancy outcomes among pregnant women with gestational diabetes (GDM).
Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed among 56 women with GDM. Subjects were randomly selected to receive either 1000 mg omega-3 fatty acid supplements (containing 180 mg eicosapentaenoic acid and 120 mg docosahexanoic acid) (n = 27) or a placebo (n = 27) for 6 weeks. Fasting blood samples were taken at study baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention to quantify biochemical variables. Newborn’s weight, height, head circumference, Apgar score, and hyperbilirubinemia were determined.
Results: At the end of the 6 weeks, taking omega-3 fatty acid significantly decreased serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) (change from baseline: −245.1 ± 1570.5 versus + 913.9 ± 2329.4 ng/mL, p = 0.03) and plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations (−0.4 ± 1.3 versus + 0.6±2.3, p = 0.04) compared with the placebo. Supplementation with omega-3 had a low incidence of hyperbilirubinemiain newborns (7.7% versus 33.3%, p = 0.02) and decreased newborns’ hospitalization rate (7.7% versus 33.3%, p = 0.02).
Conclusions: Taken together, omega-3 fatty acid supplementation in GDM women had beneficial effects on maternal serum hs-CRP, plasma MDA levels, incidence of newborn’s hyperbilirubinemia, and hospitalization.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the staff of Kossar maternity Clinic (Arak, Iran) for their assistance in this project.
Declaration of interest
The present study was supported by a grant from the Vice-chancellor for Research, AUMS, and Iran. None of the authors had any personal or financial conflict of interest. This study was supported by a grant (no. 93-165-20) from Arak University of Medical Sciences. Z. A. is the guarantor of this work. Clinical registration: www.irct.ir as IRCT201406305623N20.