High Cholesterol Levels During Pregnancy, How Dangerous Is It?

Level Kolesterol Tinggi Saat Hamil, Seberapa Bahaya?

"High Cholesterol Levels During Pregnancy, How Dangerous?"

Dream - Having cholesterol levels above normal is definitely a worrisome condition because if left untreated, it can trigger serious health complications. What if during pregnancy, the blood test results show a fairly high cholesterol level?

Apparently, during pregnancy, cholesterol levels are higher than usual, which is considered normal. The body needs it to support hormones such as estrogen and progesterone, which are crucial for maintaining a full-term pregnancy. The growing baby utilizes high amounts of cholesterol for the development of healthy body parts and brain.

"There is an important collaboration that occurs to support the development of pregnancy. The pregnant mother's body, placenta, and fetus have special enzymes to convert cholesterol into functional hormones," said Julie Scott, MD, an obstetrician and gynecologist at the University of Colorado Hospital."

"Definition of High Cholesterol"

Determining whether someone has high cholesterol is not based on just one measurement. When healthcare providers want to check cholesterol levels, a blood test called a lipid panel is performed, which actually consists of a group of tests that measure total cholesterol, bad cholesterol, good cholesterol, and triglycerides. These measurements and medical history are what help healthcare providers diagnose high cholesterol and assess an individual's risk for health problems such as heart disease and stroke.

"Cholesterol Levels During Pregnancy"

The cholesterol level naturally increases during the second trimester of pregnancy, reaching its peak in the third trimester, and usually returns to normal around four weeks after giving birth. During pregnancy, total cholesterol is estimated to increase by about 50%. Although it is known that cholesterol levels increase during pregnancy, cholesterol is not routinely checked during pregnancy, and there are no reference ranges for cholesterol levels in pregnant women.

The following is the translation of the given 'Bahasa' text to 'English' while preserving any html tags: "Meaning, experts have not yet defined what is considered normal or optimal regarding cholesterol in pregnant women. One thing to be aware of is pregnancy-related complications associated with total cholesterol levels or triglyceride levels exceeding 250 mg/dL."

Very High Cholesterol Risk during Pregnancy.

Several studies have shown that higher cholesterol levels are also associated with an increased risk of premature birth. There is also evidence that children born to parents with high cholesterol levels that are not normal during pregnancy are more likely to experience fat buildup in their arteries.

The best way to avoid high cholesterol during pregnancy is to undergo a health check-up long before pregnancy occurs. If it is known that the cholesterol level is very high, immediately seek treatment to control it so that when pregnant, the condition is already much better and within normal levels. Report by Aykaputri Amalia/ Source: Parents.

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