Relation of Taurine Intake During Pregnancy and Newborns' Growth

Taurine is a free amino acid and exhibits various biological functions such as brain development, retinal photoreceptor activity, reproduction, normal growth development and antioxidant activity. Taurine is mainly contained in meat and fish foods. Although taurine is inferred to be implicated in the development of the fetus, there are few reports of taurine intake and neonatal growth in pregnant women. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the nutrient and taurine intake of pregnant women during the late gestation period using the food intake frequency method. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Keimyung University. The daily taurine intake of the pregnant women was 104.2 mg. The daily taurine intakes of the pregnant women were divided into three groups for analysis; low, middle, high (<60 mg, 60-120 mg, and >120 mg). The body weight of the top taurine group (3.37 kg) was significantly higher than that of the low and middle groups (3.16 kg, 3.20 kg). Also, the heights of the infants were 49.9 cm, 49.8 cm, and 51.1 cm for each group, showing significantly high measure in the group of taurine intake more than 120 mg/day. There was a positive correlation between the taurine intake of the pregnant women and the height of the newborns. In conclusion, weight and height at birth were significantly higher in the high taurine intake group of the pregnant women. There was a positive correlation between maternal taurine intake and birth length.