CHANGES IN LIPID METABOLISM DURING PREGNANCY AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH LONG-TERM MATERNAL CARDIOVASCULAR RISK: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze, through an integrative literature review, the association between alterations in lipid metabolism during pregnancy and the risk of long-term maternal cardiovascular complications. The methodology consisted of conducting bibliographic searches in the PubMed and Scopus databases, using the descriptors "Lipid Metabolism", "Pregnancy", and "Cardiovascular Risk", including studies published between 2021 and 2025. The selected studies were analyzed regarding the factors involved in gestational metabolic alterations, especially hormonal and genetic aspects, as well as their impacts on maternal cardiovascular health. The results showed that, although physiological hyperlipidemia during pregnancy is essential for fetal development, exacerbated alterations in the lipid profile, characterized by hypertriglyceridemia, elevated low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and reduced high-density lipoproteins (HDL), are associated with adverse obstetric outcomes, such as pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes mellitus. It has been shown that women with a history of these complications have a greater predisposition to developing hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases throughout their lives. It is concluded that monitoring the lipid profile during pregnancy is an important strategy for the early identification of women at cardiometabolic risk, enabling preventive interventions and targeted long-term follow-up.