Early identification of altered lipid profile in preterm neonates offers window for preventive interventions: Study
In India, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, with ischemic heart disease and stroke accounting for a significant portion. Many predisposing factors, such as sedentary lifestyle, fat-rich food, obesity, smoking, and alcohol use, are thought to induce atherosclerotic lesions in adults, but it has been discovered that the genesis of atherosclerotic lesions begins early in life.
Barker proposed the fetal origins hypothesis, which states that the origin of the disease lies in utero, where adaptations take place in the fetus, which is undernourished during middle to late gestation. These adaptations can be seen in the form of cardiovascular, biochemical, or endocrinological changes involving cholesterol metabolism, insulin responses to glucose, and structural and functional changes in internal organs, which are all possible manifestations of these modifications. This hypothesis highlighted the importance of lipid profile estimation in the pediatric age group. Fetal malnutrition and intrauterine growth restriction can hurt the lipid levels in the baby's cord blood.
A person's metabolic activities may be associated with changes in their lipid profile in cord blood that persist for a lifetime. Preterm babies have fewer energy stores than term babies since they are born prematurely and do not complete their gestation period. Cord blood serum has all the lipid components that can be found in adults, and it is easy to collect.
This study aimed to understand the differences in lipid metabolism at birth and assess potential implications for neonatal health and development. This study aimed to measure and compare variations in lipid profiles in preterm and term neonates. This cross-sectional study was carried out in 2023–24 on 106 newborns in the maternity department of a tertiary care hospital. Cord blood samples were collected immediately after delivery from a cohort of preterm (gestational age < 37 weeks) and term (≥ 37 weeks) neonates. Serum lipid parameters including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) were analyzed and statistically compared between the two groups. This study included 53 preterm and term newborns. The mean total cholesterol, HDL, LDL and triglyceride levels were greater in preterm newborns than in term infants and this difference was statistically significant.
The current research found that compared to term newborns, preterm babies had a much higher cord blood lipid profile. Therefore, to avoid the development of cardiovascular problems, it is crucial to periodically follow up with preterm children throughout their teens and introduce prompt therapies.
Source: Sajjan et al. / Indian Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Research 2026;13(2):276–280
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