Adverse Effect of Pregnancy on High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Cholesterol in Young Adult Women: The CARDIA Study

C. E. Lewis, E. Funkhouser, J. M. Raczynski, S. Sidney, D. E. Bild, B. V. Howard
1996 American Journal of Epidemiology  
The authors analyzed data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study in order to examine associations between parity and lipoproteins. Of 2,787 women recruited in 1985 -1986 ,2,534 (91 %) returned in 1987 and 2,393 (86%) returned in 1990 for repeat evaluations. Two-year change (1987 to 1985 -1986 in high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was significantly different among the parity groups. HDL cholesterol decreased in women who had their first pregnancy of at
more » ... ast 28 weeks duration during follow-up (mean ± standard error, -3.5 ±1.2 mg/dl), and this change was significantly different from the increase in women parous at baseline who had no further pregnancies (2.5 ± 0.3 mg/dl) and in nullipara (2.4 ± 0.3 mg/dl). There was a nonsignificant trend for a greater decrease in HDLj cholesterol fraction in the primipara compared with the other groups. The HDL cholesterol decrease remained significant after controlling for race, age, education, oral contraceptive use, and changes in body mass index, waist-hip ratio, physical activity, smoking status, and alcohol intake. Change in HDL cholesterol was also significantly different among the parity groups in analyses of pregnancies that occurred during the subsequent 3 years of follow-up. There were no differences for change in LDL cholesterol or triglycerides. Potential mechanisms for a detrimental effect of pregnancy on HDL cholesterol include hormonal, body composition, or life-style/ behavioral changes. Am J Epidemiol 1996;144:247-54.
doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a008919 pmid:8686693 fatcat:syee4uk6afcrpd5v6edxvp54em