Abstract
Background Although rare, familial hypertriglyceridemia can cause acute and life-threatening
complications in pregnancy.
Cases The first patient's pregnancy was complicated by multiple admissions for pancreatitis
due to hypertriglyceridemia and noncompliance with gemfibrozil. In her second pregnancy,
she was compliant with gemfibrozil and only experienced pancreatitis episodes toward
the end of pregnancy. The second patient had diabetes mellitus and familial hypertriglyceridemia.
She required multiple hospitalizations for diabetic ketoacidosis secondary to insulin
noncompliance. In both pregnancies, she was compliant with gemfibrozil and had no
complications related to hypertriglyceridemia.
Conclusion Treatment with gemfibrozil in pregnancies complicated by hypertriglyceridemia may
prevent complications without adverse maternal or fetal effects and could be considered
in treating pregnant patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia. These cases also demonstrate
the importance of medication compliance in the prevention of poor outcomes.
Keywords
familial hypertriglyceridemia - pancreatitis - gemfibrozil - preterm delivery - fetal
demise
