Study of serum lipid profile in pregnancy induced hypertension.

Four groups of subjects: normal healthy normotensive nonpregnant women (Group A), normal normotensive pregnant women (Group B), women with preeclamptic toxaemia (Group C) and eclamptic women (Group D): with fifty subjects in each group, were investigated for serum lipid profile in the third trimester of pregnancy. There was significant increase in serum triglyceride and VLDL cholesterol leve as well as decrease in LDL cholesterol in normal pregnancy, while total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels did not show any statistically significant alteration. The preeclampsia (Group C) was associated with a significant rise in triglyceride and VLDL cholesterol and fall in HDL cholesterol concentration, while eclamptic women showed significant fall in HDL cholesterol and rise in LDL cholesterol as compared to normal pregnant women. However, interestingly, elevation of the ratios of total cholesterol: HDL cholesterol and triglyceride: HDL cholesterol as well as diminuition of the ratio of HDL cholesterol: VLDL cholesterol showed statistical significance in pregnancy induced hypertension in both Groups C and D, while eclamptic women showed significant elevation of LDL cholesterol: HDL cholesterol ratio in addition.