Clinical repercussions of statin use during pregnancy: a review of the literature
Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026

The Use of Gas Chromatography to Analyze Compositional Changes of Fatty Acids in Rat Liver Tissue during Pregnancy
Published on: March 13, 2014
Joan Lins Serafim1, Pedro Lucas Santos de Menezes Teles1, Amanda Katharinne Souza Lima1
1Universidade de Pernambuco RecifePE Brazil Universidade de Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
Statins are the most widely used pharmacological class for treating hyperlipidemia, although they are contraindicated during pregnancy. This study aims to demonstrate the clinical effects of statins in pregnant women through an interactive review. Fifteen original articles were selected, in English or Portuguese, within of five years. Statins have not been associated with the development of fetal malformations and their use may be useful in preventing unfavorable cardiovascular outcomes, with the potential to reduce oxidative stress and angiogenic dysfunction. However, the use of statins to prevent pre-eclampsia in humans has not been properly clarified and further studies are needed. Pravastatin is considered safer than statins for use during pregnancy.
Statins are the most widely used pharmacological class for treating hyperlipidemia, although they are contraindicated during pregnancy. This study aims to demonstrate the clinical effects of statins in pregnant women through an interactive review. Fifteen original articles were selected, in English or Portuguese, within of five years. Statins have not been associated with the development of fetal malformations and their use may be useful in preventing unfavorable cardiovascular outcomes, with the potential to reduce oxidative stress and angiogenic dysfunction. However, the use of statins to prevent pre-eclampsia in humans has not been properly clarified and further studies are needed. Pravastatin is considered safer than statins for use during pregnancy.
Related Concept Videos
Hormonal Regulation
Clinical Trials
There are four phases in a clinical trial. A phase one...
Pharmacovigilance
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...
Teratogenicity
Lipid-Lowering Drugs: Statins and Miscellaneous Agents
Types of Biopharmaceutical Studies: Controlled and Non-Controlled Approaches
Non-controlled studies, commonly employed for initial exploration, lack a control group, rendering them susceptible to biases and external influences. In contrast,...

