Carnitine levels in pregnancy

: Carnitine (trimethylamino-hydroxy butyric acid) is present in all living cells. It is necessary for the transport of fatty acids into mitochondria and for other metabolic functions of the cell. Studies in various animal species have demonstrated a transfer of carnitine from the mother to the fetus during pregnancy. Recent studies reported decreased carnitine levels at term, but little is known on carnitine levels during various stages of human gestation. Therefore it was interesting to measure the blood carnitine status during normal human pregnancy from early stages up to term, including analyses of umbilical cord blood of the newborn. The results show a gradually decreasing carnitine level in maternal plasma, a sharp decline within the 1st trimester was followed by a much slower but highly significant decrease in the 2nd and 3rd trimester. In whole blood carnitine levels are decreasing, too. The continuous decrease of the portion of plasma carnitine in whole blood is correlated with a higher carnitine concentration in the blood cells. Together these results might indicate an increased need of carnitine during pregnancy. Therefore the clinical application of carnitine not only to provide a respiratory distress syndrome should be examined.