Effects of an optimal omega-3 dose on fatty acids concentrations of breast milk erythrocyte phospholipids in mothers who delivered prematurely: effect on immature preterm infants' fatty acid

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: utrition of very premature infants; Pregnancy and Childbirth; Very premature infants

• Registration Number: ISRCTN30731416
• Lead Sponsor: Foundation of the University Hospital Centre of Quebec (CHUQ) (Canada)

Brief Summary

Not available

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Results First Posted: 1900-01-01
• Study Start: 2007-06-11
• Study Completion: 2009-06-15
• Last Update Posted: 8 November 2021

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Sex: Female
• Target Recruitment: 50

Inclusion Criteria

1. Wowen between 18 and 40 years old
2. Have delivered prematurely (gestional age less than 29 weeks)
3. Plan to breast-feed
4. Signature of consent form for the study

Exclusion Criteria

Mothers will be excluded if at the time of recruitment they have:
1. Regularly consumed more than three servings/wk of fish in the last three months
2. Regularly consumed omega-3 supplements in the last three months
3. Fish allergy
4. Maternal age at time of delivery less than 18 or more than 40 years
5. Haemostatic or coagulation disease or taking anticoagulants (warfarin, heparin), because of risk of interaction with omega-3
6. History of drug or alcohol abuse
7. Unable to stay at Québec city during the baby hospitalisation

Infants will be excluded if they:
1. Are small for gestational age (less than or equal to third percentile)
2. Have a chromosomal abnormality or major congenital malformations (heart excluding ductus arteriosus, atrial septal defect and small ventricular septal defect, brain abnomalities, gastroschisis, omphalocele, diaphragmatic hernia)

Study & Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Fatty acid composition of the red blood cell membranes and plasma phospholipids of infants will be given as % weight of total fatty acids (qualitative) and in mg/dl (quantitative). There are several fatty acids in the omega-3 series, but the primary outcome will be the difference in the DHA in red cell and plasma phospholipids between the two groups at the 49th day postpartum. Blood samples (0.5 ml) will be obtained at the time of sampling for medical need if matching with our post-natal day 3, 14, 49 and post-conceptional week 37.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Fatty acid composition of mother?s breast-milk will be measured to document the lipid content and the % DHA in the colostrum (at baseline). At the time of the first sampling, mothers will have been nursing for no more than three days. Then every week, sample of breast-milk will be analysed. In order to avoid day-to-day variations, aliquots (0.5 ml) from each daily sample of breast-milk will be pooled weekly, and the combined milk will be analysed to obtain a more representative breast-milk fatty acid profile of the week. Fatty acid composition of mother red cell, taken at the same dates of the premature baby samplings will be related to breast-milk composition.