Premature Delivery Linked to High Cholesterol in Moms Later

FRIDAY, March 28 (HealthDay News) -- Giving birth early seems to
increase a woman%26#39;s risk of having high cholesterol later, a new study
shows.

And that raises the chances of heart disease even further down the line
for these women, the researchers added.

The findings were presented Thursday at the Society for Gynecologic
Investigation annual meeting, in San Diego.

"Total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were elevated in women who%26#39;d had
a preterm birth, before 34 weeks," said study author Janet Catov, an
assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at
the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

Catov said it%26#39;s hard to know yet whether there%26#39;s something in the
pregnancy or preterm delivery that triggers the high cholesterol, or if
it%26#39;s the high cholesterol that may have something to do with the preterm
delivery. She did note that "very early in pregnancy, women with preterm
birth have elevated lipids, which may be exacerbated in pregnancy."

Another recent study found that women with very low levels of
cholesterol were also at risk of preterm birth, but Catov said this study
showed that women on the very high end of cholesterol levels also went on
to give birth prematurely.

"Perhaps there%26#39;s a normal range, and if you%26#39;re higher or lower, it
could be a problem," she said.

In the current study, Catov and her colleagues compared 47 women who%26#39;d
had a preterm birth, defined as giving birth before 37 weeks of gestation,
to 104 women who gave birth to full-term infants. Most of the women in the
preterm group gave birth before 34 weeks of gestation.

Women who had other chronic medical conditions, such as preeclampsia or
a baby with signs of growth restriction, were excluded from the study.

Blood samples were taken an average of 7.4 years after delivery.

Women who%26#39;d given birth before 34 weeks of gestation had the highest
levels of total cholesterol at 202.6 mg/dl. Women who gave birth between
34 and 37 weeks had levels of 190.1 mg/dl, and women who carried their
babies to term had levels of 180.1 mg/dl.

After adjusting for race, smoking history and body mass index, the
researchers found that women who gave birth prematurely had a 2.3 times
greater risk of developing cholesterol levels above 240 mg/dl, a level
considered high risk by the American Heart Association.

Additionally, women who%26#39;d had a preterm birth were 3.3 times more
likely to have elevated LDL -- the "bad" cholesterol -- than women who
gave birth to full-term babies.

"What this study tells us is that a woman%26#39;s previous medical history,
particularly conditions that happen during pregnancy, may be a clue to her
later heart disease risk," said Dr. Nieca Goldberg, director of the New
York University Medical Center%26#39;s Women%26#39;s Heart Program.

"I would advise a woman who%26#39;s had a preterm birth and who now has high
cholesterol to have her cardiac risk factors evaluated at regular
intervals, at least with a yearly physical," said Goldberg.

While Catov said these findings need to be duplicated in a larger study
before any specific guidelines or recommendations can be made, she said
it%26#39;s a good idea to "keep your doctor apprised of your medical conditions
and preterm births or other adverse pregnancy outcomes, and keep up to
date with recommended screenings."

More information

To learn more about cholesterol and how to lower your levels, visit the
American Heart Association.