Create your account and start enjoying benefits now.
Birthday Gift
Rewards Points
Member Coupon
Pregnancy changes your body in countless ways, and rising cholesterol levels are one of them. While this might sound alarming, it's often a normal part of supporting your growing baby. Understanding how different fats affect cholesterol during pregnancy helps you make better food choices without unnecessary worry.
Fat often gets a bad reputation, but during pregnancy, it's actually one of your body's most important tools. Your baby depends on fats for proper development, and your body needs them to function at its best.
Your body is building a whole new person, which requires a steady supply of nutrients. Fats provide concentrated energy—fat provides about 9 calories per gram, compared with 4 calories per gram for carbs and protein.
Fats do much more than provide calories. They help produce hormones like progesterone and estrogen, which maintain your pregnancy. Every cell in your baby's developing body needs fat to build its protective outer membrane. Your brain is rich in fat and relies on these nutrients too. Without enough healthy fats, your body struggles to absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K—all essential for both you and your baby.
Not all fats work the same way. Omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids both matter, but the ratio between them makes a difference. Most American diets are heavy on omega-6 (found in vegetable oils and processed foods) but light on omega-3 (found in fish and walnuts). During pregnancy, omega-3s support your baby's brain and eye development. Aiming for more omega-3-rich foods helps create a better balance without obsessing over exact numbers.
Understanding which fats to embrace and which to limit makes managing cholesterol during pregnancy much simpler. Not all fats are created equal, and some actively work against your health goals.
Trans fats are the troublemakers of the fat family. They're created when liquid oils are turned into solid fats through a process called hydrogenation.
Products like Momcozy's breast pads and nursing bras are not only great for supporting your pregnancy nutrition but also provide significant benefits for postpartum care. These products are designed to keep you comfortable and maintain skin health, especially during the crucial months after your baby is born.
Common Sources: Fried foods, commercially baked goods, margarine, shortening, and many packaged snacks
Impact:
Saturated fats sit in the middle ground. Your body can handle some, but too much creates problems.
Common Sources: Red meat, full-fat dairy, butter, coconut oil, palm oil, and fried foods
Impact:
These are the fats your body loves, especially during pregnancy. They actively improve your cholesterol profile.
Make these fats your go-to choices. Drizzle olive oil on salads, snack on a handful of nuts, or enjoy salmon for dinner. Your body knows exactly what to do with these nutrients.
With cholesterol during pregnancy, it’s not a matter of cutting everything out. Rather, it’s about making healthy substitutions and maintaining a balance. Your body will naturally increase its production of cholesterol due to the baby’s needs, and you can help guide that level and composition.
Let’s talk about something which might surprise a lot of pregnant people: a pregnant person’s cholesterol levels will, in most cases, rise. This is because your body will produce more of it in an attempt to support your growing placenta, as well as your baby.
Cholesterol aids in the formation of your baby’s cell membranes, as well as the production of hormones and, amazingly, the development of the brain too. Most obstetricians would not be too concerned about a sudden rise in your cholesterol levels during pregnancy, except perhaps if you have had high levels before becoming pregnant or you have other risk factors your provider is tracking.
The key isn't cutting all the fats but rather making the right choices. When you want something fatty, add some healthy fats alongside, rather than feeling the need to cut back. The strategy of "add rather than subtract" is more effective in such a case, as deprivation doesn't really help.
Pregnancy cravings are a real phenomenon, and it is exhausting to resist them all the time. Instead of fighting every craving, try working with them in a more balanced way.
Supplements can fill nutritional gaps, but they work best alongside a healthy diet. Fish oil, in particular, offers specific benefits for pregnancy nutrition.
Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA and EPA, support your baby's brain and eye development. Fish oil supplements provide concentrated amounts when you're not eating enough fatty fish. Most prenatal vitamins include some DHA, but dedicated fish oil supplements offer higher doses. Look for products tested for mercury and other contaminants—quality matters during pregnancy.
Some research suggests omega-3 supplementation may help stabilize mood during and after pregnancy. While results vary, adequate omega-3 intake supports brain health, which influences emotional well-being. It's not a cure for depression or anxiety, but it might provide some protective benefits.
If you don't eat fish or are concerned about mercury exposure, high-quality supplements offer a safe alternative. Aim for at least about 200 mg of DHA daily during pregnancy. Vegetarian options derived from algae are available if you prefer plant-based sources.
Understanding normal ranges helps you avoid unnecessary panic when you see your lab results. Cholesterol during pregnancy follows different rules than usual.
Your baby uses cholesterol to construct cell membranes throughout the body, develop the brain and nervous system, and grow limbs and organs properly. Without adequate cholesterol, these processes can't proceed normally. Nature designed your body to ramp up production automatically.
After delivery, cholesterol continues its important work. Breast milk contains significant amounts of cholesterol, which supports your newborn's rapid brain growth. Your body maintains higher cholesterol levels during breastfeeding to ensure adequate milk quality.
During pregnancy and lactation, total cholesterol commonly increases by roughly 30%–50% above pre-pregnancy levels by late pregnancy, and it typically trends back down postpartum for most people—so your provider usually interprets results based on your baseline and overall risk profile, not a single number.
If your healthcare provider does recommend lowering cholesterol, lifestyle changes work effectively without medication. Most cholesterol drugs aren't safe during pregnancy anyway, so natural approaches become your primary tool.
Replace saturated fats with unsaturated ones whenever possible. Use olive oil instead of butter for cooking. Choose avocado on toast rather than cream cheese. Snack on nuts instead of crackers. These small swaps add up over time and genuinely impact your cholesterol profile.
Soluble fiber binds to cholesterol in your digestive system and helps remove it from your body. Oats are particularly effective—soluble fiber from oatmeal/oats can help lower LDL cholesterol over time as part of a heart-healthy diet. Chia seeds, ground flaxseed, beans, lentils, apples, and berries all provide excellent fiber. Aim for about 28 grams of fiber daily.
Movement helps raise HDL (good cholesterol) while managing weight gain. Walking remains one of the best exercises during pregnancy—it's free, requires no equipment, and you can do it almost anywhere. Swimming takes pressure off your joints while providing a full-body workout. Prenatal yoga combines gentle movement with stress reduction. A common benchmark is at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week (often described as about 30 minutes, 5 days a week).
Important Note: Always check with your healthcare provider before starting or changing exercise routines during pregnancy, especially if you have any complications or concerns.
Listen to your body's hunger and fullness signals. Eat regular meals and snacks to maintain stable blood sugar. Don't skip meals thinking it will help—this often leads to overeating later. Stay hydrated, get adequate sleep, and manage stress as much as possible. These basics support healthy cholesterol levels naturally.
Eggs were thought to be bad for you for a very long time. However, newer studies indicate that the amount of cholesterol in food does not raise your blood cholesterol levels as much as was originally thought. For most pregnant women, up to about one whole egg per day can still be part of a heart-healthy diet, depending on their overall eating pattern and individual risk factors. Another benefit of eggs would be their rich protein content. Choline levels get replenished from eggs, too. Eating eggs does not automatically mean your blood cholesterol will rise—your body regulates cholesterol production based on overall intake and needs. However, people who are prone to familial hypercholesterolemia need to follow their physician's advice.
An elevation of cholesterol during the third trimester is expected and normal. Your body is preparing for childbirth and nursing, which requires higher-than-usual cholesterol resources. Provided you do not have heart disease, diabetes, or other significant risk factors, an elevation in your cholesterol during late pregnancy is not a cause for concern either. Many clinicians do not routinely check cholesterol during pregnancy unless there’s a reason to, because levels are often higher than usual in late pregnancy anyway. Your cholesterol levels should improve within a few months after giving birth and stopping breastfeeding.
In most cases, no. Cholesterol levels increase in the body during pregnancy, which is the body's natural response and actually contributes to the baby's development. Cholesterol is what the baby requires for development. Very high cholesterol alongside other conditions—such as obesity, diabetes, or hypertension—may require closer monitoring by your provider, but this is uncommon. The worry would be if you cut fats significantly in an effort to reduce cholesterol, since babies need fat in their systems for the development of the brain.
Managing cholesterol during pregnancy is about balance, not perfection. Choose healthy fats, stay active, and trust your body's natural processes. When you nourish yourself well, you're giving your baby exactly what they need. Talk to your healthcare provider about any concerns, and remember—temporary cholesterol changes are part of the amazing work your body is doing.
The information provided in this article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider regarding any medical condition. Momcozy is not responsible for any consequences arising from the use of this content.
