Diet-related toxemia in pregnancy. I. Fat, fatty acids, and cholesterol.

Toxemia in pregnancy (preeclampsia)is characteristerized by a combination of at least two of the following clinical symptoms: hypertension, edema, and proteinuria. In three successive trials over three consecutive years, the dietary intake of a selected number of young pregnant women attending a Maternal and Infant Care Program at Tuskegee Institute were evaluated for total lipids, individual fatty acids, and cholesterol. Women with toxemia or with any of the individual symptoms were identified and women without toxemia or these symptoms served as controls. Results were variable from repetition to repetition in all but the toxemia group and the edema group. The consumption of total lipids and cholesterol was significantly greater in all three trials by both the toxemia and edema groups. Also, total saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids were eaten in greater amounts. The greatest differences were in palmitic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linoleic acid. The proportion of unsaturated fatty acids consumed in all groups was very low. All differences could be attributed primarily to breakfast and dinner meals and were found in the milk, meat, and egg food groups. Although satistical correlations were found between lipid intake and toxemia of pregnancy any specific relationship between the two is still unclear.