Effect of maternal diet during late pregnancy on fetal lipid stores in rabbits

Pregnant rabbits were fed on a standard laboratory diet enriched with either 5-6% coconut oil or 6-7% corn oil for the last three or last six days of pregnancy. Control rabbits were maintained on the standard laboratory diet. Maternal and newborn plasma concentrations of free fatty acid, triacylglycerol and phospholipid and the profile of their fatty acids were measured. The fatty acid composition of newborn brown adipose tissue, white adipose tissue and liver was analysed. Raised levels of lauric and myristic acids in does on the coconut oil enriched diet and of linoleic acid in does on the corn oil enriched diet were found in maternal and newborn plasma free fatty acids and triacylglycerols when compared to control rabbits. The proportion of lauric and myristic acids found in the tissues of newborn from does on the coconut oil enriched diet and the proportion of linoleic acid found in the tissues of newborn from does on the corn oil enriched diet were substantially increased when compared to control newborn. Newborn adipose stores reflected the change in maternal dietary fatty acid composition when the doe had been fed an oil enriched diet for only three days favouring the view that maternal triacylglycerol could be a major source of fetal lipids.