Plasma lipids and apolipoproteins A and B in human pregnancy

Abstract

A cross sectional study was carried out in 200 normal pregnant women between 8-40th weeks of gestation, 25 women during delivery and 25 women 6 weeks after delivery.Plasma and lipoprotein lipids were measured using standard procedures.Apolipoprotein A (Apo A) and Apolipoprotein B (Apo B), were measured by electroimmunoassay.Plasma levels of Apo A were elevated in pregnant women but the elevations were not significant until 17-20 weeks of gestation.Apo A during pregnancy was significantly correlated (p less than 0.001) with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C).The level of Apo B increased progressively during pregnancy and it was significantly correlated (p less than 0.001) with total cholesterol (TC), plasma triglycerides (TG) and phospholipids (PL).Apo A and Apo B levels returned to non pregnant values within the puerperium, whereas TC, TG and PL remained significantly elevated above controls (p less than 0.01) 6 weeks post partum.