Longitudinal plasma amino acids during pregnancy and neonatal anthropometry: findings from the NICHD Fetal Growth Studies-Singleton Cohort

Background: Amino acids (AAs) during pregnancy are crucial for fetal growth. Prior studies measured AA concentrations at single time points in pregnancy, despite their fluctuations throughout pregnancy. We measured plasma AA profiles in blood samples longitudinally collected from early through late pregnancy and evaluated their associations with neonatal anthropometry. Methods: Concentrations of plasma aromatic AAs, branched-chain AAs, and AAs involved in one-carbon metabolism were assessed at 10–14, 15–26, 23–31, and 33–39 gestational weeks (GW) among 321 women from a case–control study from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) Fetal Growth Studies-Singleton Cohort. Associations between AA concentrations in tertiles at each visit and neonatal anthropometric measures were assessed using weighted generalized estimating equations models, after adjusting for major confounders. Results: Women with higher concentrations of glutamine (3rd vs. 1st tertile) at 10–14 GW had offspring with greater birthweight z-score (β [95% CI] = 0.31 [0.06, 0.56], p-trend = 0.04) and birth length (1.35 cm [0.32, 2.37], p-trend = 0.04). Women with higher concentrations of aspartic acid (3rd vs. 1st tertile) at 23–31 GW, however, had offspring with smaller sum of skinfolds (− 3.9 mm [− 6.0, − 1.7], p-trend = 0.007). Similarly, women with higher concentrations of glycine (3rd vs. 1st tertile) at 10–14 GW had offspring with lower birthweight z-score (− 0.37 [− 0.65, − 0.08], p-trend = 0.04). Conclusions: Plasma AA concentrations during pregnancy appear to play a crucial role in neonatal anthropometry. Associations were observed as early as 10 GW and varied by type of AAs and gestational age. Trial registration: Clinical Trial Registry number: NCT 00912132.