Blood lipids are a very important indicator that is evaluated in pregnant women. Cholesterol is one such chemical. A change in its normal concentration in the blood can lead to the development of very dangerous pathologies.
What it is?
Doctors call special lipid structures cholesterol. They are present in the blood of every person, regardless of their age. The rates of this indicator are different. Normal blood cholesterol values depend on gender and age.
During pregnancy, the hormonal background in the female body changes significantly. This feature is associated with the emergence of new specific hormones after the conception of a baby. It is these biologically active substances that lead to a change in the ratio of lipids in the blood.
An increase in total blood cholesterol during pregnancy can be from 6.1 to 10.4 mmol / L. These numbers are slightly higher than in the general population. If, during the study, the doctor revealed signs of hypercholesterolemia, then he will send the expectant mother for additional diagnostics. Its goal is to identify all diseases that could cause the development of hyperglycemia in a particular woman. The therapist is engaged in such diagnostics.
If necessary, he can refer the expectant mother to a urologist, cardiologist or neurologist to exclude concomitant pathologies.
Reasons for the increase
Blood cholesterol in a pregnant woman rises as a result of various causative factors. The disorders are based on pathologies in lipid metabolism. A wide variety of diseases of internal organs can lead to the development of such deviations.
Main reasons:
- Expectant mothers having persistent hyperglycemia or even diabetes mellitus, are at a high risk of developing high blood cholesterol levels (hypercholesterolemia). Violation of carbohydrate metabolism in most cases also contributes to pathologies in the fat balance. Quite often, this situation occurs in late pregnancy.
- Hypercholesterolemia can be a hereditary pathology. In this case, similar disorders are present in the woman's close relatives. If a family member has suffered a myocardial infarction or stroke, then this is an essential reason to regularly control your cholesterol levels. It is important to note that it is better to carry out such monitoring not only during pregnancy, but also in later life.
- Hypertonic disease or severe arterial hypertension are also pathologies that contribute to the fact that blood cholesterol rises. Quite often, an increase in the level of this substance occurs in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. This pathology is accompanied by a persistent increase in blood pressure, the values of which exceed 140/90 mm Hg. Art.
- Kidney and urinary tract diseases accompanied by various metabolic disorders. Healthy kidney tissue is essential to filter out all nutrients that are beneficial to the body and excrete unnecessary ones. Diseases occurring in the kidneys or ureters can lead to the accumulation of toxic metabolic breakdown products, which ultimately contributes to the development of hypercholesterolemia.
- If the expectant mother eats too many animal foods, then the risk that she will have high cholesterol increases many times. Many years ago, scientists found that people who are vegetarians have low blood levels of this substance. Frequent consumption of red meat during pregnancy can lead to persistent hypercholesterolemia.
When is the analysis scheduled?
For the entire period of bearing the baby, the doctor will recommend the expectant mother to be tested at least three times to determine cholesterol in her blood. This laboratory test is used to determine how much lipid metabolism is altered in a pregnant woman, and whether the fetus has a high need for lipids. Such studies are carried out at different stages of pregnancy.
If the expectant mother has any cardiovascular diseases, then she may need to take a biochemical test to determine the level of cholesterol more often. In medical practice, there are situations when a woman visits a laboratory to take such a blood test every 1-1.5 months.
Any deviations from the norm require a mandatory unscheduled visit to a therapist, in some cases to a cardiologist.
Consequences for the body of the mother and baby
Excess cholesterol in the blood is very dangerous for both the mother and her baby. Hypercholesterolemia leads to the appearance of fatty deposits on the walls of blood vessels first, and eventually cholesterol plaques. They grow and block the lumen of the arteries. Such situation contributes to the violation of full blood flow, which can lead to hypoxia of vital organs.
If the lumen of the blood vessel is completely closed, then the person may have a heart attack or stroke. These pathologies invalidate and significantly aggravate the quality of his life. A decrease in blood flow through the general blood vessel system during pregnancy can lead to the fact that the fetus ceases to fully develop. This situation can provoke the development of some anomalies or defects in intrauterine development.
How to reduce?
You can normalize cholesterol levels with the help of special food, as well as with the use of special medications. It is important to note that doctors try to limit the expectant mother from taking medications as much as possible during pregnancy. Many of these remedies can negatively affect the development of the baby in the womb.
Initial therapy for hypercholesterolemia - appointment of a special lipid-lowering diet to the expectant mother. Its effectiveness is assessed, as a rule, two months after the start of use. To do this, the doctor prescribes his patient to take a second blood test for cholesterol.
A decrease in this indicator is a sign indicating a positive trend. In this case, the lipid-lowering diet remains the choice of therapy until the end of pregnancy.
If this type of treatment is ineffective, doctors may prescribe lipid-lowering drugs. They should be consumed daily. The dosage and frequency of application are selected individually.
Usually, such medicines are prescribed from the second half of pregnancy, when the baby has already completed all the main reactions of organogenesis. Drugs are prescribed only with significant hyperglycemia, when the level of cholesterol exceeds the norm by more than two times.
To activate carbohydrate and fat metabolism, the expectant mother should move enough. Strong physical activity during pregnancy is completely excluded.
An alternative to going to the gym can be regular regular walks in the fresh air. You should walk for at least 45 minutes. At the same time, the pace of walking should be moderate.
Attending yoga classes or special breathing exercises for pregnant women - also an excellent alternative to heavy physical activity. It should be noted that expectant mothers with uncomplicated pregnancy should attend such classes. If a woman has signs of isthmic-cervical insufficiency or a threat of spontaneous miscarriage, then such training is contraindicated for her.
Lipid-lowering diet
Such nutritional therapy plays a major role in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. In order to lower the level of cholesterol in the blood, doctors will recommend that the expectant mother be sure to limit the range of products in her daily menu. So, the diet:
- All industrially produced sweets and chocolates are banned.... Gingerbread cookies, cookies, buns and other "snacks" should also not be included in the menu of a woman who has hypercholesterolemia.
- Many women love glazed chocolate curd snacks... It is important to note that this product is highly undesirable for consumption. In addition to the high content of sugar and animal fats, which are the cause of high blood cholesterol, curd cheeses may contain dyes and preservatives. This combination will do great harm to the pancreas and liver.
- Fruits, dried fruits, berries and nuts are suitable for the expectant mother as useful sweets.... You can use honey to improve your mood. It should be noted that the calorie content of dried fruits is very high, so you should not abuse them. A pregnant woman should eat 1-2 fruits daily.
- Doctors strongly recommend that expectant mothers eat more fruits and vegetables... They contain a lot of coarse fibrous fiber, which effectively helps to remove excess cholesterol from the body. Eat fruits and vegetables according to the season.
Fruits brought from "overseas" countries can cause food allergies and cause inflammation of the stomach lining.
- The expectant mother should significantly limit animal products in her diet.... You should not completely abandon them. However, the emphasis in fats should be on plant foods. Dressing a vegetable salad or cereal side dish with olive oil or any other oil is a great addition of beneficial lipids to your daily diet.
- Scientists have found that taking foods containing polyunsaturated fatty acids protects the body from hypercholesterolemia and many dangerous diseases of the cardiovascular system. Regular consumption of sardines, herring, mackerel, trout, salmon and other oily sea fish will help expectant mothers to effectively cope with their high blood cholesterol.
These foods contain a lot of a healthy fatty acid called omega-3. It is necessary not only for the woman's body, but also for the baby, which develops in her tummy. Omega-3 is needed for the full functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, as well as for the effective functioning of the immune system.
- Doctors definitely recommend reducing your consumption of red meat... In such a situation, it is better to give your preference to chicken and game. These foods contain more white meat. They should not be abused either. Two servings a day is the optimal dose to get all the amino acids you need.
- In order to improve metabolic processes in the body, doctors recommend expectant mothers to consume more green weak tea and various herbal infusions. Strong coffee should still be excluded. It is especially dangerous to use this drink for pregnant women with heart rhythm disturbances and arrhythmias. Fruit drinks and compotes made from berries and dried fruits are perfect as healthy drinks.
- Fractional nutrition is a key factor in maintaining optimal body weight... Women with hypercholesterolemia are often obese. In order for the weight to remain within the normal range throughout pregnancy, the expectant mother should eat in moderate portions 4-5 times a day. You should not eat "for two".
For information on how to lower cholesterol, see the next video.
