Lipid Profile in Pregnant Women With and Without Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Control Study

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), the most common metabolic disorder of pregnancy, is associated with alterations in circulating lipids. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare lipid profiles in women with and without GDM. Methods: This study was performed on 84 pregnant women at 26-30 weeks of gestation (42 pregnant women with GDM as cases and 42 healthy pregnant women as controls). After obtaining informed consent and gathering demographic data, subjects underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test and lipid profile was also measured in all subjects. Results: We found that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels were significantly higher in the GDM group (53.10 ± 1.72 vs 46.64 ± 1.70 mg/dL, P = 0.008). Total cholesterol (228.96 ± 52.03 vs 211.59 ± 41.83 mg/dL) and triglyceride (TG) levels (225.58 ± 89.84 vs 208.38 ± 80.66 mg/dL) were also higher in the GDM group; however, the differences were not statistically significant (P = 0.770 and P = 0.327, respectively). On the contrary, low-density lipoprotein was found to be non-significantly higher in the healthy group (144.54 ± 26.01 vs 122.41 ± 4.82 mg/dL, P = 0.709). Besides, there was a significant association between HDL levels and GDM (OR: 1.049; 95% CI: 1.009-1.090, P = 0.015). This association remained significant when adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), and gestational age (OR: 1.010; 95% CI: 1.002-1.017, P = 0.009). No significant association was found between GDM and TG, cholesterol, and LDL levels. Conclusion: HDL levels are significantly higher in pregnant women with GDM compared to pregnant women without GDM. HDL level is significantly associated with GDM even after adjustment for age, BMI, and gestational age.