Placental docosahexaenoic and arachidonic acids correlate weakly with placental polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) and are uncorrelated with polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) at delivery: A pilot study

► ARA and DHA are vital for neonatal development. Lipophilic dioxins (PCDD/F)/PCB may hypothetically contaminate food fats. ► Placental associations between these compounds were investigated in a pilot study of 34 pregnant women from Taiwan. ► ARA and DHA were unrelated to PCDD or PCB, and slightly decreased as PCDF increased. ► These pilot data indicate women with higher ARA or DHA status are not at risk of excess tissue dioxin accumulation.