Lipoprotein(a) in pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Document Type

Article

Department

Office of the Provost; Cardiology

Abstract

Introduction: Pregnancy induces significant metabolic changes, including altered lipid profiles, yet the role of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] remains unclear. While Lp(a) levels rise during pregnancy and may be linked to complications like pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes, existing studies show inconsistent findings. This meta-analysis aims to investigate Lp(a) levels in normal and high-risk pregnancy and its associated outcomes.
Methods: This meta-analysis followed PRISMA guidelines, systematically searching PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase for studies comparing Lp(a) levels in normal pregnant vs. non-pregnant women, or high-risk vs. normal pregnancies. Data extraction, quality assessment, and statistical analysis were performed independently by two reviewers. Heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics, with sensitivity analyses and GRADE evaluating evidence certainty.
Results: Forty-one studies were included (31 meta-analyzed), predominantly small cross-sectional studies. Compared with non-pregnant women, Lp(a) levels were modestly higher in healthy pregnancy (MD = 5.02 mg/dL, p = 0.01; very low-certainty evidence - GRADE). In women with pre-eclampsia, Lp(a) levels were significantly elevated compared to normotensive pregnancies (MD = 11.92 mg/dL, 95 % CI: 7.68 to 16.16, p < 0.00001; very low-certainty evidence - GRADE). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that this association was consistent across different assay methods and was also observed in both early-onset (≤34 weeks; MD = 12.91 mg/dL) and late-onset (>34 weeks; MD = 10.60 mg/dL) pre-eclampsia. No significant difference was observed in women with gestational diabetes (MD = -8.85 mg/dL, p = 0.39; very low-certainty- GRADE).
Conclusion: This meta-analysis found higher Lp(a) levels in pregnancy, especially in pre-eclampsia, but not in gestational diabetes. While these findings suggest a possible link between Lp(a) and hypertensive pregnancy complications, further studies are needed to confirm clinical relevance and establish predictive utility.

Comments

Volume, issue and pagination are not provided by the author/publisher.

Publication (Name of Journal)

Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases

DOI

10.1016/j.pcad.2025.07.012

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