Studies on serum triacylglycerol and HDL-cholesterol in second and third trimester of pregnancy

The present study was carried out in the department of physiology, Mymensingh Medical College, Mymensingh, Bangladesh during the period of July 2006 to June 2007 to investigate the effect of pregnancy on serum triacylglycerol and HDL-cholesterol. The serum concentrations of triacylglycerol and HDL-cholesterol were measured in 100 cases during their 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy and in a control group of 100 cases of non pregnant women which was matched on reproductive age. Data were analyzed by computer with SPSS program using unpaired student 't' test. The result showed that the pregnant women had significantly higher concentrations of serum triacylglycerol and HDL cholesterol. Higher concentrations of serum triacylglycerol and HDL cholesterol were more common in pregnant than control and reached maximum at 3rd trimester of pregnancy. This may be a purely physiological response to pregnancy or it may be indicative of pathology in some women. These results warrant a follow up study to investigative whether the hypertriacyglycerolemia and HDL-cholesterolemia persists after parturition.