Early Second Trimester Serum Lipid Profile as a Predictor of Gestational Hypertension and Preeclampsia: A Prospective Hospital-Based Study
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Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the association between early second-trimester serum lipid concentrations and the subsequent risk of developing gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. Design: A prospective hospital-based observational study. Subjects/Patients: A total of 100 antenatal women (both primigravidae and multigravidae) with singleton pregnancies between 14 and 20 weeks of gestation who had no preexisting medical illnesses, with normal baseline blood pressure, were enrolled. Methods: Serum lipid profiles of participants were measured, and participants were followed until delivery. Based on blood pressure and proteinuria, participants were classified as normotensive, having gestational hypertension, or preeclampsia. Data were statistically analysed. Results: Among the participants, 82% antenatal women remained normotensive (Group A), 7% developed gestational hypertension (Group B), and 11% developed preeclampsia (Group C). Higher serum lipid profiles were seen in women who subsequently developed hypertensive disorders compared to normotensive women (p < 0.05). Elevated lipid levels were more pronounced in preeclamptic women, indicating an atherogenic trend with increasing disease severity. Conclusion: Overall, the study demonstrated that the association of altered lipid profiles during the early second trimester resulted in increased risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia. Prompt recognition of lipid screening is recommended for identifying high-risk pregnancies and enabling timely preventive interventions.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Nithya M.P.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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Nithya M.P., Senior Resident, Department of OBG, Karuna Medical College, Chittur, Kerala, India.
Senior Resident, Department of OBG, Karuna Medical College, Chittur, Kerala, India.
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