The Effect of Parity on Atherogenic Indices in Hypertensive Pregnant Women at 2nd Trimester

Dyslipidemia, or abnormal lipid metabolism, is a major triggering factor in atherosclerosis aggravated by hypertension. In this study, 100 female participants were chosen at random from Rivers State University and the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital. These women were divided into two groups: hypertensive pregnant women in their second trimester (50 individuals) and non-pregnant women (50 subjects). The hypertensive pregnant women were further sub grouped into 21 nulliparous women, 17 primiparous women, 10 multiparous women and 2 Grand multiparous women. Blood samples were analyzed for the atherogenic indices; Apo B/Apo A1, Castelli Risk Index I and II (CRI1, CRI-2), atherogenic coefficient (AC) and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP). The study found that parity showed no significant effect on all the atherogenic indices in an inter comparison between the hypertensive pregnant women and non-pregnant women. Also, there was no statistically significant difference in an intra-comparison amongst the varying parity states of the hypertensive pregnant women at 2nd trimester (p<0.05). Very few studies have focused on the relationship between parity and lipid levels in hypertensive women but the aforementioned association is still inconsistent. Hence, the expedient need for further researches.