Fatty acids (FAs) are essential for fetal development. Cellular FA uptake is modulated by fatty acid–binding proteins (FABPs). We hypothesized that hypoxia regulates the expression of FABPs in human trophoblasts.Primary term human trophoblasts were cultured for 72 hours in either standard (O 2 = 20%) or hypoxic (O 2 < 1%) conditions. FABP expression was interrogated using polymerase chain reaction and Western immunoblotting. Trophoblast lipid droplets were examined using dipyrromethene boron difluoride 493/503 staining.We detected the expression of FABP1, -3, -4, -5, and pm but not FABP2 or FABP6-9 subtypes in trophoblasts. Exposure to hypoxia markedly increased lipid droplet accumulation in trophoblasts. Consistent with this observation, hypoxia enhanced the expression of FABP1, -3, and -4. Lastly, agonists of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ enhanced the expression of FABP1 and -4 in trophoblasts.Hypoxia enhances the expression of FABP1, -3, and -4 in term human trophoblasts, suggesting that FABPs support fat accumulation in the hypoxic placenta.