Increased tissue concentrations of arachidonic acid in umbilical artery and placenta in fetal growth retardation

Objective. To compare the fatty acid phospholipid composition of the umbilical artery and the placenta in cases of fetal growth retardation (FGR) and of normal growth, as well as in symmetric and asymmetric FGR. Design.. Case‐control study. Setting. University hospital. Population. Thirty‐nine FGR cases (12 asymmetric, 27 symmetric) and 78 cases with normal growth. Main outcome measures. Thin layer gas‐liquid capillary chromatography of phospholipid fatty acids in umbilical artery and placental cotyledons. Newborns were classified as FGR if their weight was under the l0th percentile for our center. FGR was defined as symmetric if the ponderal index was >2.32, and as asymmetric if it was