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Cholesterol is critical to many bodily functions (cell membrane
production, sex hormones, digestive processes), although most
people don't think of it in such a positive light. That's
because excess cholesterol in the bloodstream can also cause
hardening of the arteries, otherwise known as atherosclerosis,
which is associated with an increased risk of heart disease
and stroke.
Children
generally have low cholesterol concentrations and don't develop
atherosclerosis. However, atherosclerotic "lesions" (evidence
of thickening in the arteries caused by the buildup of excess
cholesterol) have been noted in some young adults and infants,
even without a family history of the disease. This suggests
that other factors may be involved.
 A study published in the October 9, 1999 issue of The
Lancet examined whether hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol
levels in the blood) in mothers could be linked to the same
condition in their children. More than 150 children age 1-3
were classified by whether their mother had normal or high
levels of cholesterol during pregnancy; the children were
then examined for evidence of atherosclerotic lesions.
Results showed that lesions were more pronounced and developed
more rapidly in children whose mothers had high cholesterol
levels, and this observation could not be explained when accounting
for the conventional risk factors (high-cholesterol diet,
family history, etc.).
These findings add to the considerable evidence emphasizing
the importance of a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy. What
you do while you're pregnant doesn't just affect you ‹ it
can affect the health and safety of your child. Consult with
your team of health care professionals to optimize your prenatal
care.
Reference:
Napoli C, Glass CK, Witztum JL, et al. Influence of maternal
hypercholesterolemia during pregnancy on progression of early
atherosclerotic lesions in childhood: fate of early lesions
in children (FELIC) study. The Lancet, October 9, 1999:
Vol. 354, No. 9186, pp1234-41.
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