Longitudinal changes in HDL-cholesterol concentration are associated with different risk factors in primiparous and nulliparous young women: The NHLBI Growth and Health Study (NGHS)

BACKGROUND: Previous studies report that first pregnancy is associated with persistent decreases in HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations. OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated factors associated with declines in HDL-C concentration in parous and nulliparous young women. METHODS: This study leverages data from African-American and white women from the NHLBI Growth and Health Study. Parity-related changes in lipids, BMI and percent body fat were assessed longitudinally. A subset of primiparous and nulliparous women with paired lipid measurements were analyzed regarding changes in HDL-C concentrations. RESULTS: Among 870 women in longitudinal analyses, African-American women had higher parity (p