Stay Active During Pregnancy to Lower Cholesterol

Increased estrogen levels, weight gain and insulin resistance during pregnancy normally cause increases in total cholesterol levels and levels of blood fats called triglycerides. Very high levels have been linked with preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, according to Carole L. Butler, MPH, lead author of a study published in the August American Journal of Epidemiology.

Butler and colleagues at the Center for Perinatal Studies at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle interviewed 925 pregnant women at the end of their first trimester, and found that the more exercise women reported, the lower their total cholesterol and triglyceride levels seemed to be.