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Cholesterol testing may predict gestational diabetes risk

Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

Pregnant women may benefit from cholesterol testing, as the findings of new study suggest that triglyceride levels may predict a woman's risk of developing gestational diabetes, a condition that could lead to birth complications.

Traditional tests for gestational diabetes have been unpleasant for women and delivered unreliable results. Diane Brisson, who led the study, said that new testing methods were needed to help improve screening for the condition, which can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes in women and cause birth defects in children.

Brisson and her team of investigators from the University of Montreal tracked the medical records of 144 women throughout their pregnancies. They found that elevated triglyceride levels and increased waistlines may predict the development of gestational diabetes.

"We found that the simultaneous presence of abdominal obesity and hypertriglyceridemia in the first trimester is associated with a significantly increased risk of glucose intolerance later in pregnancy," said Brisson.

Due to the relatively small sample size, investigators recommended that further studies be conducted to confirm their results.