Evidence for fatty acid transfer across the human placenta.

Lipid analysis of blood from umbilical artery and vein, experiments on artificially perfused human placentas, measurements of fetal blood triglyceride concentrations and the relative percentage of essential fatty acids in fetal adipose tissue are all consistent with the view that fatty acids cross the human placenta and that the flow to the fetus is influenced by maternal blood concentrations of free fatty acids and triglycerides.