Low cholesterol levels linked to premature birth risk

Expectant mothers with low cholesterol levels are just as prone to premature birth than those with high levels, new research suggests.

Researchers from the National Human Genome Research Institute examined more than 1,000 women from South Carolina and their newborn babies and found that not only high cholesterol was linked to a raised risk of premature birth.

The premature rate was discovered to be 21 per cent among white women with the lowest cholesterol levels, while in contrast, the premature rate among women with the highest cholesterol levels was around 12 per cent.

Lead researcher Dr Max Muenke told the BBC: "Based on our initial findings, it appears that too little cholesterol may be as bad as too much cholesterol during pregnancy, but it is too early to extrapolate these results to the general population."

"The right amount of cholesterol is fundamental for good health, both before and after birth.

"During pregnancy, cholesterol is critical for both the placenta and the developing baby, including the brain."

News brought to you by Global Health TV, covering the issues of Health in the Developing world