Study Finds Connection Between Pregnancy Complications and Future Cardiovascular Risk In Menopause - Video

Pregnancy-related hypertension has already been proven to lead to a number of negative health outcomes later in life, including more bothersome menopause symptoms like hot flashes, the risk of dementia, kidney problems, and stroke. A new study suggests it can also lead to cardiovascular disease during menopause. Results of the study were presented at the 2024 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society in Chicago

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In the new study involving nearly 400 women with a mean age of 81.6 years, researchers sought to assess the association between a self-reported history of preeclampsia or eclampsia, gestational hypertension, and gestational diabetes with cardiovascular outcomes in postmenopausal women.

What they found is that a self-reported history of gestational hypertension was associated with cardiovascular disease. Women with preeclampsia or all three adverse pregnancy outcomes also had a numerically higher prevalence of heart disease, but it did not meet the standards of statistical significance. No association was found between gestational diabetes and heart disease.

“Future research based on a larger sample size is needed to better understand the role adverse pregnancy outcomes may have in cardiovascular disease development and risk stratification,” says Marie Tan, lead author from Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia

Reference: 2024 Annual Meeting of The Menopause Society in Chicago September 10-14. https://menopause.org/press-releases/some-adverse-pregnancy-outcomes-may-increase-risk-of-heart-disease-later-in-life.