PATTERN OF LIPID PARAMETERS IN HEALTHY WOMEN DURING PREGNANCY

BACKGROUND: During pregnancy lipid accumulation occurs due to change in energy metabolism. Pregnancy has being found to be associated with changes in lipid profile and this differs with each trimester. OBJECTIVES: To study pattern of lipid parameters in healthy women during pregnancy. MATERIAL & METHODS: In this cross sectional descriptive study, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) were estimated in 120 pregnant women during normal gestation (40 in each trimester) and in 40 apparently healthy non pregnant volunteers serving as control. All the lipid parameters were analyzed by enzymatic method by semiautoanalyzer. LDL and VLDL were calculated by Frederickson-Friedwald's formula. RESULTS: TC, TG and HDL in the first, second and third trimesters when compared with that of the control subjects were significantly high (p 0.05) in the first trimester but became significant (p< 0.05) in the second and third trimester when compared with the control. Comparison between first, second and third trimesters showed that TC, TG and LDL in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters were significantly higher than in the 1st trimester. Although, not significant in the 1st trimester HDL followed similar trend. CONCLUSION: Variation in lipid metabolism in pregnancy is associated with complications in mother and fetus. Therefore, it is recommended to do lipid profile as a routine investigation in all the three trimesters of pregnancy to avoid maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality.