Early Postpartum Lipid Profile in Women with and Without Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Results of a Prospective Cohort Study

Background Dyslipidemia is a well-known risk factor of cardiovascular disease. Few studies focused on early postpartum lipids profile, particularly in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Objectives This study aims at determining the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides LDL-C, HDL-C, and VLDL-C at 6 to 12 weeks postpartum in women with gestational diabetes, comparing them to lipids profiles of controls and identifying independent risk factors of dyslipidemia in 2 studied groups. Methods Life after gestational diabetes, Ahvaz study (LAGAs), was started on March 2015. This was an ongoing population-based cohort study that aimed at investigating metabolic outcomes of gestational diabetes mellitus and comparing them with healthy groups. Up to February 2016, during the first 11 months sampling, 176 women with gestational diabetes and 86 healthy mothers underwent FBS, 75-g 2- hour oral glucose tolerance and fasting lipids tests (including total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL- cholesterol, HDL -cholesterol, and VLDL-cholesterol) in 6 to 12 weeks after delivery. Results Overall prevalence of dyslipidemia was 73.7%. Most common forms of dyslipidemia in 2 groups were HDL-C < 50 and raised total cholesterol (T-C ≥ 200). Women with gestational diabetes had higher total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-C, and VLDL-C compared with controls. Prevalence of total cholesterol ≥ 200, triglyceride ≥ 150, HDL-C < 50 (md/dL), and LDL-C ≥ 130 (md/dL) was 37.5%, 22.2%, 43.8%, and 27.8 in GDM women 6 to 12 weeks after delivery, respectively; 73.3% (129/176 (of GDM women had at least one abnormal values of lipids. Pre-pregnancy BMI ≥ 25 and history of GDM in first relatives were associated risk factors for dyslipidemia in women with gestational diabetes. In multivariate analysis, only BMI ≥ 25 in healthy group remained as an independent risk factor for dyslipidemia 6 to 12 weeks postpartum. Conclusions Dyslipidemia is highly prevalent in women with and without GDM at 6 to 12 weeks postpartum, particularly in overweight and obese women. Dyslipidemia and obesity are both modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease.