clinical utility of serum lipids in early pregnancy and risk of pre-eclampsia

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out on 393 women to evaluate the clinical utility of the measurements of serum lipids in the first and late second trimester of pregnancy and the risk of development of preeclampsia in a prospectively followed group of healthy pregnant women aged 36 years and older. Criteria for eligibility were diastolic blood pressure at recruitment below 85 mmHg, no history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes, a viable singleton pregnancy not beyond 11 weeks and maternal age 36 years or older at 20 weeks of gestation. Serum total cholesterol and high density lipoprotein cholesterol were measured by an automated enzymatic method. Uterine artery flow velocity waveforms were recorded using continuous Doppler ultrasound. Pregnancy outcome was also assessed. In conclusion, the data suggested a relation between serum lipids in early pregnancy and the development of preeclampsia