The effect of gestational periods on fasting lipid profile, plasma glucose and chromium levels of apparently healthy pregnant women in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria

Background: Pregnancy is a physiological condition in which the uterus of a woman carries at least one embryo for about 38 weeks, from conception to delivery; during this period, several physiological changes in biochemical and haematological functions occur. Knowledge of these changes however, may be helpful in providing effective care for pregnant women; hence this study was aimed at evaluating the effect of gestational periods on lipid profile, plasma glucose and chromium levels of apparently healthy pregnant women in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria.Methods: A total of 200 apparently healthy women were used for the study; 150 of them were pregnant (50 in the first trimester, 50 in the second trimester, and 50 in the third trimester), and the remaining 50 women were not pregnant. They were divided into four (4) groups; group I (control group) consists of 50 non-pregnant women, group II consists of 50 pregnant women in their first trimester, group III consists of 50 pregnant women in their second trimester, while group IV consists of 50 pregnant women in their third trimester. About 8 ml of fasting venous blood was collected from the antecubital fossa of each subject; 3 ml was dispensed into a fluoride oxalate anticoagulant bottle for the determination of plasma glucose concentration. The remaining 5 ml was dispensed into a lithium heparin-anticoagulant bottle for the determination of chromium and lipid profile. The data were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey multiple comparison test.Results: The results showed a significant decrease (p