The Relationship Between Serum Oestradiol Levels and Serum Triglyceride, Cholesterol and Phospholipid Levels in Normal Human Pregnancy

Abstract

Summary Blood samples were obtained for serum lipid and oestradiol measurement from 365 women between 7 to 41 weeks of normal pregnancy. In an additional 21 women serum lipid and oestradiol were measured at 20 to 23 weeks gestation and again at 30 to 33 weeks. Significant correlations were noted between changes in the serum triglyceride and oestradiol levels (P<0·001) and between changes in serum cholesterol and oestradiol levels (P<0·05). The changes in phospholipid and oestradiol levels were not significantly correlated (P<0·1). The serum triglyceride level (mean±SEM) was highest at 37 weeks gestation (3·8·0·3 mmol/1), an increase of 400 per cent over the level at 7 weeks. The serum phospholipid level increased by 108 per cent to its highest level (5·0±0·2 mmol/1) at 38 weeks and the cholesterol level increased by 93 per cent to its peak (8·7±0·3 mmol/1) at 38 weeks.

The Effect of Age on the Paraoxonase and Arylesterase Activity of Pregnant Mothers and Their Infants

“…In our study, when the lipid parameters of the mothers aged under 25 years and more than 35 years were examined, the total cholesterol level of the mothers aged more than 35 years was determined as high and HDL as low, compared to the mothers aged under 25 years. These results can be said to be related to maternal age, gravida number , nutritional habits, and hormonal changes as reported in the previous studies. Although, in our study, the total cholesterol was high and the HDL was low in the mothers aged more than 35 years compared to the mothers aged under 25 years, the atherogenic risk of the older mothers is thought to be higher compared to that of the younger mothers.…”

“…The most conspicuous change in the lipids has been reported to be the increase in triglyceride and total cholesterol. However, in pregnancy, it is not only triglycerides and LDL that increase, but at the same time, HDL increases and the atherogenic effect is inhibited depending on this increase (33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38).…”

Changes in the maternal essential fatty acid profile during early pregnancy and the relation of the profile to diet

“…Pregnancy is generally associated with a marked hyperlipidemia involving all lipid classes (15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20). It was suggested that these elevated lipid concentrations improve fetal access to EFAs (21,22).…”

“…It was suggested that these elevated lipid concentrations improve fetal access to EFAs (21,22). The concentration of plasma phospholipids was reported to increase > 65% from the first trimester through term (15,17,23). An increase in phospholipid-associated fatty acids during pregnancy was also reported (5,24).…”

Pregnancy-induced Hyperlipoproteinemia: Review of the Literature

“…Normal lipid metabolism during pregnancy had been investigated in several studies. [6][7][8][9][10][11] First trimester lipid levels are concordant with nonpregnant women and significant deviation from nonpregnant level occurs mainly in second and third trimesters. 4,12 Plasma triglyceride levels rise markedly during pregnancy, whereas increments in phospholipids and cholesterol are more moderate (Table 1).…”