Is normal pregnancy atherogenic?

1999 ◽  
Vol 96 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. MARTIN ◽  
C. DAVIES ◽  
S. HAYAVI ◽  
A. HARTLAND ◽  
F. DUNNE

Serum cholesterol, triacylglycerols and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) subfractions were determined in 120 primagravid women during normal gestation (40 in each trimester) and in 20 non-pregnant age-matched controls. LDL subfractions were determined by PAGE, and an LDL score was calculated. The higher the score, the smaller the subfractions. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of the hyperlipidaemia, high oestrogen concentrations and insulin resistance known to exist in normal pregnancy on LDL subfraction formation. Pregnant women had an increased mean serum cholesterol concentration [5.78 (S.D. 1.09) mmol/l] in the first trimester compared with the non-pregnant controls [5.11 (0.77) mmol/l; P< 0.01]. The serum cholesterol concentration increased progressively throughout gestation to a mean of 8.14 (1.39) mmol/l in the third trimester (P< 0.001 compared with the second trimester). Triacylglycerol concentrations in the first trimester were similar to those of controls, and there was a non-significant increase by the second trimester to 1.32 (0.44) mmol/l. However, by the third trimester the mean triacylglycerol concentration had doubled [2.58 (0.98) mmol/l; P< 0.001 compared with the first and second trimester]. During gestation the LDL score increased dramatically, from 1.17 (0.39) during the first trimester to 2.01 (0.37) in the second trimester (P< 0.001) to 2.73 (0.48) in the third trimester (P< 0.001 compared with the second trimester). Thus an atherogenic lipid profile develops during normal gestation. The significance of these changes remains unclear, but thay may have important implications for mother and foetus.

2013 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 110-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Vldimirovna Kudryashova ◽  
Natalya Yuryevna Sotnikova ◽  
Irina Aleksandrovna Panova ◽  
Lyudmila Viktorovna Kadyrova

The amount of Th1и and Th2 cells in the peripheral blood increased in the first trimester and remained at the high level during all the process of gestation. Changes in the quantity of memory cells were defined: by the enhanced level of Temra in the CD4+ subset and of IFNγ+ cells in the population of CD4+ Temra in the second trimester; by restoring the balance of Tcm, Tem and Temra to the values of nonpregnant donors in the third trimester. In preeclampsy pregnancy the level Th1, Th2 and IFNγ+ cells in CD4+ population of Temra was significantly higher then in normal pregnancy.


2020 ◽  
pp. 205064062096461
Author(s):  
Ana-Marija Grišić ◽  
Maria Dorn-Rasmussen ◽  
Bella Ungar ◽  
Jørn Brynskov ◽  
Johan F K F Ilvemark ◽  
...  

Background Infliximab therapy during pregnancy in inflammatory bowel disease is challenged by a dilemma between maintaining adequate maternal disease control while minimizing fetal infliximab exposure. We investigated the effects of pregnancy on infliximab pharmacokinetics. Methods The study population comprised 23 retrospectively identified pregnancies. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease were generally in clinical remission at pregnancy conception (74%) and received steady infliximab maintenance therapy (5 mg/kg q8w n = 17; q6w n = 4; q10w n = 1; 10 mg/kg q8w n = 1). Trough blood samples had been obtained in the same patients prior to pregnancy ( n = 119), the first trimester ( n = 16), second trimester ( n = 18), third trimester ( n = 7), and post-pregnancy ( n = 12). Data were analyzed using nonlinear mixed-effects population pharmacokinetic modelling. Results Dose-normalized infliximab concentrations were significantly higher during the second trimester (median 15 µg/mL/kg, interquartile range 10–21) compared to pre-pregnancy (7, 2–12; p = 0.003), the first trimester (9, 1–12; p = 0.04), or post-pregnancy (6, interquartile range 3–11; p > 0.05) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Similar trends were observed in the third trimester (13, 7–36; p > 0.05). A one-compartment model with linear elimination described the pharmacokinetics of infliximab (volume of distribution = 18.2 L; clearance 0.61 L/day). Maternal infliximab exposure was influenced by the second and third trimester of pregnancy and anti-infliximab antibodies, and not by pregnancy-imposed physiological changes in, for example, body weight or albumin. Infliximab clearance decreased significantly during the second and third trimesters by up to 15% as compared to pre- and post-pregnancy and the first trimester. The increased maternal infliximab exposure was weakly associated with lowered clinical disease activity. Pharmacokinetic model simulations of virtual patients indicated the increased maternal infliximab trough concentrations imposed by pregnancy will not completely counteract the decrease in infliximab concentration if therapy is paused in the third trimester. Conclusion Infliximab clearance decreases significantly in the second and third trimesters, leading to increasing maternal infliximab concentrations in any given regimen. Maternal infliximab levels may thus be maintained as constant in a de-intensified regimen by therapeutic drug monitoring guidance in inflammatory bowel disease.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuoxi He ◽  
Chuan Xie ◽  
Xiaorong Qi ◽  
Zhengjun Hu ◽  
Yuedong He

Abstract ObjectiveCervical cancer diagnosed during pregnancy is a rare event, and data regarding efficacy of cancer treatment during pregnancy is limited. This study aimed to assess the safety of continuation of the pregnancy for mother and fetus when concomitantly diagnosed with cervical cancer.MethodsThis study retrospectively analyzed all cervical cancer patients diagnosed while pregnant or immediately postpartum, inclusive from Jan 2010 to June 2019 at our institute. Patient clinical details and follow-up were obtained from hospital records. ResultsThe study comprised 40 patients with clinical cancer stages of ⅠA1 (1/40, 2.5%); ⅠB1 (15/40, 37.5%); IB2 (10/40, 25%); ⅡA (12/40, 30%); and ⅡB (2/40, 5%). There were 38 patients diagnosed during pregnancy, and 2 diagnosed in the postpartum period. Of the 38 patients, 17 were diagnosed in the first trimester, 13 in the second trimester, and 8 in the third trimester. Ten of 38 patients (26.3%) continued their pregnancy after learning of their diagnosis; 7 (70%) in the third trimester and 3 (30%) in the second trimester. The mean time from diagnosis to surgery in the patients who continued their pregnancy was 52.7 days, which was statistically significantly greater than the termination of pregnancy group (52.7 vs 16.3 days, P < 0.01). Notably, there was no survival difference between the 2 groups (100% vs 90.91%, P =0.54), and none of the pregnant women who ultimately died had delayed treatment due to pregnancy. Similarly, the surgical estimated blood loss and operative duration comparing the 2 groups were not significantly different. ConclusionsIn the present study, the gestational age of pregnancy at the time of initial diagnosis of cervical cancer was an important determinant in the disease management. Continuation of the pregnancy when diagnosed with cervical cancer did not affect the oncologic outcome of the mother nor increase either surgical or obstetric complications. Additionally, the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not threaten the health of the fetus. These results may be useful in counseling patients facing the diagnosis of cervical cancer during pregnancy.


Author(s):  
Süleyman Akarsu ◽  
Filiz Akbiyik ◽  
Eda Karaismailoglu ◽  
Zeliha Gunnur Dikmen

AbstractThyroid function tests are frequently assessed during pregnancy to evaluate thyroid dysfunction or to monitor pre-existing thyroid disease. However, using non-pregnant reference intervals can lead to misclassification. International guidelines recommended that institutions should calculate their own pregnancy-specific reference intervals for free thyroxine (FT4), free triiodothyronine (FT3) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH). The objective of this study is to establish gestation-specific reference intervals (GRIs) for thyroid function tests in pregnant Turkish women and to compare these with the age-matched non-pregnant women.Serum samples were collected from 220 non-pregnant women (age: 18–48), and 2460 pregnant women (age: 18–45) with 945 (39%) in the first trimester, 1120 (45%) in the second trimester, and 395 (16%) in the third trimester. TSH, FT4 and FT3 were measured using the Abbott Architect i2000SR analyzer.GRIs of TSH, FT4 and FT3 for first trimester pregnancies were 0.49–2.33 mIU/L, 10.30–18.11 pmol/L and 3.80–5.81 pmol/L, respectively. GRIs for second trimester pregnancies were 0.51–3.44 mIU/L, 10.30–18.15 pmol/L and 3.69–5.90 pmol/L. GRIs for third trimester pregnancies were 0.58–4.31 mIU/L, 10.30–17.89 pmol/L and 3.67–5.81 pmol/L. GRIs for TSH, FT4 and FT3 were different from non-pregnant normal reference intervals.TSH levels showed an increasing trend from the first trimester to the third trimester, whereas both FT4 and FT3 levels were uniform throughout gestation. GRIs may help in the diagnosis and appropriate management of thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy which will prevent both maternal and fetal complications.


Author(s):  
Maryam Hasani ◽  
Afsaneh Keramat ◽  
Raziyeh Maasoumi ◽  
Maryam Farjamfar ◽  
Masud Yunesian ◽  
...  

Objectives: Sexual life may change during pregnancy. Due to negative attitudes toward having sex, unpleasant feeling, and fear of several issues, women might avoid vaginal intercourse during pregnancy. Therefore, the present systematic review aimed to investigate the frequency of vaginal intercourse in pregnancy. Materials and Methods: Comprehensive literature review was conducted to find the relevant articles published (from December 1990 to April 2018) on the issue including observational studies (e.g., cross-sectional and cohort studies) that certainly determined the mean frequency of vaginal sex throughout pregnancy. In this regard, online international databases such as ISI, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Google Scholar were independently explored and checked by two authors. Duplicate articles were removed by the EndNote X7 Reference Manager. The results were analyzed using RevMan 5.3 software. The P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Totally, after excluding the duplicate and irrelevant articles based on having the mean frequency of vaginal intercourse during pregnancy, 13 articles were obtained. The range of vaginal intercourse frequency varied from 6.01 to 21 times every month pre-pregnancy, 3.67-9.87 times monthly in the first trimester, 2.78-7.21 times monthly in the second trimester, and 1.35-5.9 times monthly in the third trimester. Five out of the 13 selected articles reporting the mean and standard deviation were entered the current meta-analysis. The frequency of vaginal intercourse was obtained 7.75 (7.13-8.38) times monthly prior to pregnancy, 4.16 (3.86-4.46) times in the first trimester, 6.37 (5.60-7.14) times monthly in the second trimester, and 1.81 (1.49-2.13) times monthly in the third trimester. Conclusions: Generally, the frequency of vaginal intercourse decreased in the first trimester while increasing in the second trimester. However, a sharp decline was observed between the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sixtus Aguree ◽  
Alison D. Gernand

Abstract Background: Plasma volume expansion is an important physiologic change across gestation. High or low expansion has been related to adverse pregnancy outcomes, yet there is a limited understanding of normal/healthy plasma volume expansion. We aimed to evaluate the pattern of plasma volume expansion across healthy pregnancies from longitudinal studies. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify original studies that measured plasma volume in singleton pregnancies of healthy women. Specifically, we included studies that measured plasma volume at least two times across gestation and one time before or after pregnancy in the same women. PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, CINAHL, and clinicaltrials.gov databases were searched from the beginning of each database to February 2019. We combined data across studies using a random effects model. Results: Ten observational studies with a total of 347 pregnancies were eligible. Plasma volume increased by 6% (95% CI 3-9) in the first trimester compared to the non-pregnant state. In the second trimester, plasma volume was increased by 18% (95% CI 12-24) in gestational weeks 14-20 and 29% (95% CI 21-36) in weeks 21-27 above the nonpregnant state. In the third trimester, plasma volume was increased by 42% (95% CI 38-46) in weeks 28-34 and 48% (95% CI 44-51) in weeks 35-38. The highest rate of increase occurred in the first half of the second trimester. Included studies were rated from moderate to high quality; 7 out of 10 studies were conducted over 30 years ago. Conclusions: In healthy pregnancies, plasma volume begins to expand in the first trimester, has the steepest rate of increase in the second trimester, and peaks late in the third trimester. The patterns observed from these studies may not reflect the current population, partly due to the changes in BMI over the last several decades. Additional longitudinal studies are needed to better characterize the range of normal plasma volume expansion across maternal characteristics.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sixtus Aguree ◽  
Alison D. Gernand

Abstract Background Plasma volume expansion is an important physiologic change across gestation. High or low expansion has been related to adverse pregnancy outcomes, yet there is a limited understanding of normal/healthy plasma volume expansion. We aimed to evaluate the pattern of plasma volume expansion across healthy pregnancies from longitudinal studies. Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to identify original studies that measured plasma volume in singleton pregnancies of healthy women. Specifically, we included studies that measured plasma volume at least two times across gestation and one time before or after pregnancy in the same women. PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, CINAHL, and clinicaltrials.gov databases were searched from the beginning of each database to February 2019. We combined data across studies using a random effects model. Results Ten observational studies with a total of 347 pregnancies were eligible. Plasma volume increased by 6% (95% CI 3–9) in the first trimester compared to the nonpregnant state. In the second trimester, plasma volume was increased by 18% (95% CI 12–24) in gestational weeks 14–20 and 29% (95% CI 21–36) in weeks 21–27 above the nonpregnant state. In the third trimester, plasma volume was increased by 42% (95% CI 38–46) in weeks 28–34 and 48% (95% CI 44–51) in weeks 35–38. The highest rate of increase occurred in the first half of the second trimester. Included studies were rated from moderate to high quality; 7 out of 10 studies were conducted over 30 years ago. Conclusions In healthy pregnancies, plasma volume begins to expand in the first trimester, has the steepest rate of increase in the second trimester, and peaks late in the third trimester. The patterns observed from these studies may not reflect the current population, partly due to the changes in BMI over the last several decades. Additional longitudinal studies are needed to better characterize the range of normal plasma volume expansion across maternal characteristics.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 2789
Author(s):  
Joanna Pieczyńska ◽  
Sylwia Płaczkowska ◽  
Lilla Pawlik-Sobecka ◽  
Izabela Kokot ◽  
Rafał Sozański ◽  
...  

Background: The mother’s diet has a direct impact on fetal development and pregnancy, and can also be important in the course of the body’s inflammatory response. An anti-inflammatory diet can be a promising way to counter an excessive inflammatory response in pregnancy. Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) and the pregnant women’s serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) and 10 (IL-10) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration in the course of normal and complicated pregnancy. Research Methods and Procedures: The study included 45 Polish pregnant women recruited to the study. The DII, a literature-based dietary index to assess the inflammatory properties of diet, was estimated based on a seven-day 24-h recall and an food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) in each trimester of pregnancy. At the same time as the nutritional interviews, blood samples were collected for the determination of IL-6, IL-10, and CRP concentrations. The studied group was divided into subgroups with normal and complicated pregnancy and depending on the DII median. Results: With the development of pregnancy, the DII score slightly decreased in subsequent trimesters: −1.78 in the first trimester, −2.43 in the second trimester, and −2.71 in the third trimester (p = 0.092). Independent of the trimester of pregnancy and the occurrence of pregnancy complications, the DII score did not affect the differences in the serum concentrations of IL-6, IL-10, and CRP, with the exception of CRP level in the second trimester in women with complicated pregnancy (subgroup with DII < median had a lower CRP level than subgroup with DII > median). In the first and third trimesters, there was a weak but significant positive correlation between the DII score and CRP concentration. During the second trimester, in the group with normal pregnancy and DII below the median, a significant negative correlation between the DII score and the serum IL-6 and IL-10 concentration was noted as well as in the third trimester for IL-6. Conclusion: The anti-inflammatory potential of a pregnant woman’s diet increases slightly with pregnancy development; however, its value has no permanent significant association with the level of CRP, IL-6, and IL-10.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aruna Nigam ◽  
Neha Varun ◽  
Sumedha Sharma ◽  
YP Munjal ◽  
Anupam Prakash

Aim To assess the glycaemic profile and glycaemic variation in the second and third trimesters of normal pregnancies. Methodology Healthy pregnant women aged 19–35 years between 24 and 36 weeks of gestation were recruited for ambulatory glucose profile monitoring. A total of 18 women in the second trimester, 15 women in the third trimester and 9 healthy non-pregnant women were recruited providing, respectively, 205 days (19,680 data points), 147 days (14,112 data points) and 100 days (9,600 data points) for analysis. Results Mean blood glucose level was 20.2% lower in the second trimester and 10.6% lower in the third trimester than non-pregnant women (p < 0.001). In pregnancy, it took 15 to 20 minutes more to reach peak postprandial blood glucose levels compared to non-pregnant women (p = 0.003). Glycaemic variability was more in the third trimester (p < 0.001). Conclusion There is tight blood sugar control along with lower mean blood glucose in healthy pregnant women compared to non-pregnant women. Despite this tight glycaemic control, glycaemic variability is higher during pregnancy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 204062231985165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maya Berlin ◽  
Dana Barchel ◽  
Revital Gandelman-Marton ◽  
Nurit Brandriss ◽  
Ilan Blatt ◽  
...  

Background: Epilepsy is one of the most common chronic neurological conditions and its treatment during pregnancy is challenging. Levetiracetam (LEV) is an antiepileptic medication frequently used during pregnancy. Only a few small studies have been published on LEV monitoring during pregnancy, demonstrating decreased serum LEV levels during the first and second trimester; however, the most significant decrease was observed during the third trimester of pregnancy. In this study we aimed to evaluate LEV pharmacokinetics during different stages of pregnancy. Methods: We followed up and monitored serum levels of pregnant women treated with LEV for epilepsy. Results: Fifty-nine women with 66 pregnancies during the study period were included. The lowest raw LEV serum concentrations were observed during the first trimester. Compared with the pre-pregnancy period, raw serum concentration was lower by 5.76 mg/L [95% confidence interval (CI) (2.78, 8.75), p = 0.039] during the first trimester. Comparing the decrease in the first trimester with either the second or the third, no significant changes were observed ( p = 0.945, p = 0.866). Compared with pre-pregnancy measurements, apparent clearance was increased by 71.08 L/day [95%CI (16.34, 125.83), p = 0.011] during the first trimester. About 30% of LEV serum levels during pregnancy were below the laboratory quoted reference range. Conclusions: Raw LEV serum levels tend to decrease during pregnancy, mainly during the first trimester contrary to previous reports. Monitoring of LEV serum levels is essential upon planning pregnancy and thereafter if pre-pregnancy LEV levels are to be maintained. However, more studies are needed to assess the correlation with clinical outcome.


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