Summary
Analyzing data from Swedish women who gave birth between 1992 and 2019, researchers discovered that sisters of women with pregnancy complications had a nearly 40% higher risk of cardiovascular issues compared to a control group. This suggests that both genetic and environmental factors may contribute to this increased risk.
Pregnancy complications like high blood pressure and premature labor increase the risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. It’s unclear if this is due to familial factors.
A new study from Karolinska Institutet explored the link between adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) and cardiovascular disease by assessing both APO-exposed women and their APO-free sisters.
The study found that sisters of women with complicated pregnancies also have a higher risk, even if their pregnancies were uncomplicated. This suggests that genetic and shared environmental factors may play a role.
Researchers conducted a registry study of Swedish women who gave birth to their first child between 1992 and 2019. They identified women who had pregnancy complications and their sisters who had no complications.
They compared the risk of cardiovascular disease in women with complicated pregnancies, their sisters with uncomplicated pregnancies, and an unrelated control group.
The study showed that sisters of women with pregnancy complications had an almost 40 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease compared to the control group.
Lead author Ängla Mantel from Karolinska Institutet states that the risk of cardiovascular disease after pregnancy complications can be influenced by genes and environmental factors, not just the pregnancy itself.
The findings suggest that both women with pregnancy complications and their sisters may benefit from cardiovascular disease prevention interventions.
“It may be important to identify these women early to offer preventive treatment for pregnancy complications as well as lifestyle counseling and follow-up for cardiovascular disease risk,” says Ängla Mantel.
Journal Reference:
- Ängla Mantel, Charlotte Lindblad Wollmann, Jonas Faxén, Anna Sandström, Hanna Mühlrad, Olof Stephansson. Adverse pregnancy outcomes, familial predisposition, and cardiovascular risk: a Swedish nationwide study. European Heart Journal, DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehae889
Source: Tech Explorist
