Discussion
IUGR, depression, TG, intrauterine malnutrition
IUGR, RETINA, INTRAUTERINE MALNUTRITION, CORONARY HEART DISEASES
Leptin, a 16 kDa protein hormone, induces a negative energy balance by elevating energy expenditure and decreasing food intake.In the current study, omega 3 significantly decreased leptin levels in neonates with IUGR compared to the control group in which leptin levels significantly increased after 2 weeks of treatment compared to their levels at admission. In line with our study, Hariri et al.Omega 3 fatty acids reduce the synthesis and increase the oxidation of fatty acid (FA).High lipid profile was reported in neonates with IUGR that indicate intrauterine malnutrition and lipolysis, and this is a key biochemical indicator of IUGR and contributes to a higher risk of metabolic and coronary heart diseases in the adult life.In our study, we found that TC, as well as TG levels, significantly decreased in omega 3 treated neonates compared to the control group, which came in agreement with EL-alkamy et al.VLDL and IDL were found to be the most deregulated lipoproteins in fetuses with IUGR, suggesting that VLDL rich in triglycerides may be an alternative fuel mobilized by the growth-restricted fetus.Also, Garaiova et al.Mechanistically, most evidence suggests that Omega 3 fatty acids reduce the synthesis and secretion of VLDL particles and increase TG removal from VLDL and chylomicron particles through the upregulation of enzymes, such as lipoprotein lipase.On the other hand, a low HDL level was noted in fetuese with IUGR when compared to appropriately grown fetuses. Although the cause of the low fetal HDL concentration in neonates with IUGR is still a matter of debate, it was suggested that HDL is the result of diminished fetal de novo synthesis.Interestingly, the weight and length of the omega 3 supplemented group were significantly higher than that of the control group after treatment. This was in agreement with the results of Collins et al.Adequate consumption of omega 3 fatty acids is vitally important during pregnancy as they are critical building blocks of the fetal brain and retina. Omega 3 fatty acids may also play a role in determining the length of gestation and in preventing perinatal depression.Nonetheless, there were certain limitations to our research. First, we did not assess important maternal information; it was reported that the mean maternal serum leptin concentration in pregnancies with IUGR was significantly higher than in normal pregnancies