Maternal fats and pregnancy complications: Implications for long-term health

•Changes in the in utero environment, due to insufficient or excessive maternal nutrient intake have short and long-term implications.•Numerous rodent studies have examined the effects of maternal high-fat diet consumption on the susceptibility of metabolic diseases in the offspring.•Evidence from human studies regarding the effects of saturated or trans fat intake is limited. Pregnancy imposes increased nutritional requirements for the well being of the mother and fetus. Maternal lipid metabolism is critical for fetal development and long-term health of the offspring as it plays a key role in energy storage, tissue growth and cell signaling. Maternal fat composition is considered as a modifiable risk for abnormal lipid metabolism and glucose tolerance during pregnancy. Data derived from observational studies demonstrate that higher intake of saturated fats during pregnancy is associated with pregnancy complications (preeclampsia, gestational diabetes mellitus and preterm delivery) and poor birth outcomes (intra uterine growth retardation and large for gestational age babies). On the other hand, prenatal long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids status is shown to improve birth outome. In this article, we discuss the role of maternal lipids during pregnancy on fetal growth and development and its consequences on the health of the offspring.