RESUMO
The lipid composition of human placenta phospholipids, coming from 9 undernourished women that gave birth to low weight newborns and 9 well norished women, was analyzed using gas-liquid chromatography. Phospholipids of placentas coming from undernourished women, when compared to well nourished women, had significantly lower amounts of w-6 and w-3 fatty acids (40.1 ñ 1.5 vs 42.4 ñ 1.4 and 6.0 ñ 0.7 vs 7.1 ñ 1,3 per cent respectively). The calculated mean melting point was higher in placentas coming from undernourished women. In these women, the low content of polyunsaturated fatty acids and its replacement by short chain fatty acids was not able to balance the high mean melting points. The relative deficiency of essencial fatty acids, the low saturation index and the high mean melting point of undernourished women's placental phospholipids, may suggest a lower membrane fluidity and a subnormal essencial fatty acid content of fetal organs, that are essencial for normal growth and development