Cholesterol- induced pregnancy tends to be higher than normal and is an absolutely physiological fact.
In fact, cholesterol is used by animal cells to build membranes and it goes without saying, therefore, that in the nine months of gestation it may be higher; the fetus needs it in order to develop and grow.
In the first eight weeks of gestation, cholesterol increases only slightly, around the fourth month a more sensitive increase begins to occur; the highest levels are reached starting from the eighth month .
Of course, this does not mean that you can eat all sorts of fatty foods during pregnancy: in the nine months in which the woman's body contains a new life, contributing to its formation, correct nutrition is more important than ever.
How should those with high cholesterol behave before pregnancy?
Generally, during pregnancy the use of lipid-lowering drugs is suspended, naturally always on the advice of the doctor.
It is, however, always important to continue to follow a diet low in animal fats and, when the course of pregnancy allows it, to follow an active lifestyle.
Finally, it is essential to try to control body weight; the weight gain should not exceed 10/12 kilos .
These, in reality, are tips that apply to all pregnant women, regardless of their predisposition to having excessive levels of cholesterol in their blood.
In fact, a healthy and active lifestyle and a correct diet are sheltered from many of the most common risks related to pregnancy, in particular those due to an excessive increase in blood sugar and blood pressure.
And if cholesterol does not return to normal after pregnancy?
Usually cholesterol tends to return to normal after about a month / a month and a half after giving birth ; breastfeeding can facilitate this process.
If this does not happen it is important to take all necessary precautions to bring it back to normal levels.
High cholesterol, in fact, is one of the main cardiovascular risk factors and, if in pregnancy in most cases it is not a cause for concern, outside of this condition it is a factor to be kept absolutely under control.
Cholesterol and routine examinations during pregnancy
Cholesterol control is not part of routine examinations during pregnancy. Instead, it is essential to control other cardiovascular risk factors: blood glucose and blood pressure.
- Blood glucose in pregnancy. Measurement of this value is recommended about once a month and is included in routine blood tests. In addition to monthly fasting, often, between the twenty-fourth and twenty-eighth weeks of pregnancy, another test is recommended, called an oral glucose loading curve. Blood glucose control is important because uncontrolled gravidic diabetes exposes the fetus to numerous risks.
- High blood pressure during pregnancy. It can be very dangerous as it exposes you to the risk of gestosis and pre-eclampsia. It is therefore important to check it regularly, possibly recording it in a diary to take with you to monthly visits.
