[1] Her father, Jaime de Matos Pintasilgo (born Covilhã, Conceição, 9 December 1896 – died Lisbon, Socorro, 10 October 1959) was in the wool business, and her mother was Amélia do Carmo Ruivo da Silva, a native of Vendas Novas.

During her years at the Instituto Superior Técnico from where she earned a degree in industrial chemical engineering, she joined and eventually led the Catholic's women's student movement.

[4] After completing the program, she began working for a large Portuguese conglomerate with interests in cement plants, Companhia União Fabril, the "CUF".

After leaving Companhia União Fabril, she held a job in government until 1969 which was to run Portugal's program for development and social change.

In 1970, she presided over government working groups involving women's affairs, as well as being a member of the Portuguese delegation to the United Nations, 1971–72.

She left her mark by making social security universal and improving health care, education, and labor legislation in Portugal.

Hosted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO, in Paris, the international Commission was established by a coalition of governments and global Foundations in order to make recommendations to be presented to the UN system and donors community.

The commission's report was published in 1996 under the title: "Caring for the Future, Making the Next Decades Provide a Life Worth Living[8]", edited by Oxford University Press.

Maria de Lourdes Pintasilgo was a student at Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), one of the most prestigious Engineering faculties in Portugal.