Studies have shown that pregnant women with overweight or obesity tend to have elevated levels of leptin, total cholesterol, LDL-c, very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-c), triglycerides, fasting glycemia, and insulin, in addition to higher HOMA-IR (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance) and diastolic BP in the third trimester.188. Here, LEP is linked to obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.