Pregnancy-Related Depression Linked to Higher Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Study

According to research published in the European Heart Journal, women diagnosed with perinatal depression are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease in the following 20 years compared to women who have given birth without experiencing perinatal depression.

Perinatal depression, meaning depression during pregnancy or after birth is believed to affect one in five women giving birth worldwide.

This condition can lead to persistent stress and inflammation, adversely impacting the cardiovascular system. Additionally, women experiencing perinatal depression may be less likely to engage in healthy behaviours, such as regular exercise and proper nutrition, further exacerbating their risk. The combination of psychological stress and potential lifestyle changes creates a higher likelihood of developing heart disease.

The study is the first of its kind to look at cardiovascular health after perinatal depression.

The study was based on the Swedish Medical Birth Register and compared 55,539 women who were diagnosed with perinatal depression between 2001 and 2014 with another group of 545,567 women who had also given birth during that time but were not diagnosed with perinatal depression. All the women were followed up through to 2020 to assess if they developed any cardiovascular disease.

The results showed that among the women with perinatal depression, 6.4% developed cardiovascular disease compared to 3.7% of women who had not suffered with perinatal depression. This equates to a 36% higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Their risk of high blood pressure was around 50% higher, the risk of ischemic heart disease around 37% higher, and the risk of heart failure around 36% higher.

“Our findings may help identify individuals at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, allowing for preventive measures. This study highlights the additional health risks associated with perinatal depression, which is both preventable and treatable. Many experience their first episode of depression during this time, underscoring the need for holistic maternal care that addresses both physical and mental health. While the exact pathways linking perinatal depression to cardiovascular disease remain unclear, further research is needed to understand and effectively prevent both conditions,” said senior author Dr Bränn.

Reference: Donghao Lu, Unnur A Valdimarsdóttir, Dang Wei, Yufeng Chen, Ole A Andreassen, Fang Fang, Krisztina D László, Emma Bränn, Perinatal depression and risk of maternal cardiovascular disease: a Swedish nationwide study, European Heart Journal, 2024;, ehae170, https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae170