Maternal Serum Lipid Levels in the Third Trimester and Associated Factors in Vietnam

There is a lack of studies on lipid levels in Vietnamese pregnant women. Our study aimed to describe serum lipid levels of healthy Vietnamese women in the third trimester and identify factors influencing these levels.

A cross-sectional study on 1022 healthy females with singleton pregnancy intended to deliver at Bach Mai Hospital recruited from April 2023 to June 2024. Measure fasting serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides at 28-40 weeks of gestation by enzymatic colorimetric assays. Assess factors associated with maternal lipid levels by multivariable linear regression.

Median (95% reference range) of TC, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides were 6.48 (4.39-8.88), 3.33 (1.59-5.52), 1.81 (1.25-2.53), 2.90 (1.65-6.06) mmol/L, respectively. Complicated pregnancy (n = 377) had higher triglycerides and lower cholesterol levels than the uncomplicated pregnancy (n = 645). Factors associated with TC were prepregnancy BMI and gestational age. For LDL-C: prepregnancy BMI, gestational age, and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). For HDL-C: prepregnancy BMI and GDM. For TG: prepregnancy BMI, gestational age, GDM, a history of hypertensive disorder in pregnancy, and a history of macrosomia.

We presented 95% reference range for the third trimester serum lipid levels in healthy Vietnamese women. Obstetric complications were associated with decreased LDL-C and HDL-C and increased TG, along with gestational age and prepregnancy BMI.