Relationship between lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in trimesters of pregnancy in Nigerian women: Is pregnancy a risk factor?

Abstract

Background:Changes in lipid metabolism have been shown to occur during pregnancy, to ensure a continuous supply of nutrients to the growing fetus, despite intermittent maternal food intake. Abnormal lipid metabolism has also been linked to atherosclerosis.Objective:To investigate the effect of pregnancy on the lipid profile and possible predisposition of pregnant Nigerian women to atherosclerosis.Settings and Design:Serum lipid and lipoprotein levels of 60 apparently healthy pregnant women aged between 25 and 45 years, attending the antenatal clinic of the U.N.T.H, Enugu and 60 apparently healthy non-pregnant, age-matched females (controls) were estimated. The test samples were collected from each subject at each of the trimesters.Materials and Methods:Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglyceride (TG) were analyzed using enzymatic/spectrophotometric methods while low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) were calculated using Friedewald's formula.Statistical analysis used:The data obtained were analyzed with Students’ t-test and Pearson's Product Moment Correlation, using graph pad prism software program and results expressed as mean ± SD. The level of significance was determined at 95% confidence level.Results and Conclusion:The serum lipid levels were significantly higher (P<0.05) in all the trimesters of the pregnant women than in the controls. There was a steady increase in the serum lipid levels with increasing gestational age. A significant positive correlation (P<0.05) was observed between the lipid fractions and the different trimesters of pregnancy. TC/HDL was decreased significantly (P<0.05) in pregnant women, with increasing gestational age. Cardiac risk factor, however, decreased with gestational age, signifying possible protection from atherosclerosis. A comparison of two age groups of pregnant women (25-34 years and 35-45 years) showed no significant differences (P>0.05) in all the lipid fractions studied, suggesting no possible age-related effect on lipid metabolism in the women in their first trimester. Even with significant increase in plasma lipid during pregnancy, normal pregnancy in Nigerian women does not appear to increase the risk.

Assessing Lipoprotein Levels in Normotensive and Hypertensive Pregnant Women in Port Harcourt Nigeria

“…The mean value being raised above 2 folds in HPW compared to NNPW. HDL-C, LDL-C and VLDL-C also increased significantly (p<0.001).This agrees partly with Neboh et al, (2012) and Udoh, et al, (2002) [19,20] , who observed a progressive increase in TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL-C and TC at various stages of pregnancy; even if we did not specify the stages of pregnancy in this work, but in contrast to their finding, TC was not significant. The mean increase in TG levels in HPW and NPW are higher than that of NNPW because of estrogen levels in pregnancy.…”

Maternal and fetal blood lipid concentrations during pregnancy differ by maternal body mass index: findings from the ROLO study

“…While blood lipid concentrations after pregnancy were not available in this cohort, other research has indicated that lipid concentrations return to pre-pregnancy concentrations after delivery, suggesting that the increase in blood lipids could have an important role in the development of the fetus [ 3 , 23 , 24 ]. This is further supported by research highlighting that the increase in blood lipids during pregnancy is not associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis in women [ 3 , 25 ]. In fact, raised HDL-C may have a role in protecting the maternal vascular endothelium during pregnancy [ 26 , 27 ].…”

Daytime restricted feeding modifies the daily regulation of fatty acidβ-oxidation and the lipoprotein profile in rats

“…An atherogenic profile is an important risk factor for coronary diseases ( 57 , 58 ) . However, changes in serum lipoproteins cannot always be associated with dyslipidaemias; for example, pregnant women show increased serum lipid content but a low cardiac risk factor ( 59 ) ; the AI is higher in postmenopausal women ( 60 ) ; the lipid profile is atherogenic during pregnancy and lactation in Sprague–Dawley rats ( 61 ) ; high-sucrose and high-fat diets increase TAG in the serum and liver, as well as circulating cholesterol and LDL ( 62 ) . According to our results, the DRF group showed a decrease in AI in spite of high LDL levels; this can be explained by the low TAG concentrations in the DRF group (Table 2).…”