Cardiometabolic vulnerability and biochemical indicators during recruitment of pregnant women and in the postpartum period

Abstract

Introduction: Few studies are available about excessive accumulation of adipose tissue and its association to changes in biochemical indicators in pregnancy and the postpartum period.

Objective: Determine the association between cardiometabolic vulnerability due to body adiposity and biochemical indicators during recruitment of pregnant women and in the postpartum period.

Methods: An observational prospective study was conducted of cardiometabolic vulnerability due to body adiposity and biochemical indicators in 773 women recruited as healthy and adequate weight, 119 of them in the postpartum period, at Chiqui Gómez Lubián polyclinic. Biochemical indicators were studied by cardiometabolic vulnerability group at recruitment and in the postpartum period. Statistical analysis was based on the Kruskal-Wallis test.

Results: Pregnant women recruited with overall vulnerability due to high general intermediate and central adiposity had lower uric acid mean values (238.78 mmol/l), higher triglyceride mean values (1.37 mmol/l), cholesterol (4.70 mmol/l) and insulin resistance (8.32). Women with overall vulnerability due to high general intermediate and central adiposity in the postpartum period had higher triglyceride mean values (1.18 mmol/l), very low density lipoproteins (0.54 mmol/l), and lower high density lipoprotein mean values (1.06 mmol/l). Women with extreme overall vulnerability due to high general and central adiposity had higher mean values: glycemia (4.90 mmol/l), cholesterol (4.30 mmol/l), low density lipoproteins (2.76 mmol/l), lipid accumulation product (42.63 mmol/l) and visceral adiposity index (2.32 mmol/l).

Conclusions: Evaluating cardiometabolic vulnerability using anthropometric techniques complemented with biochemical indicators, facilitates aiming preventive actions at progressive cardiometabolic damage during pregnancy and the postpartum period.