A groundbreaking study from Karolinska Institutet, published in the European Heart Journal, has revealed that women who have experienced pregnancy complications are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. The study also found that their sisters, even if they had uncomplicated pregnancies, share a similar heightened risk. These findings suggest that genetic factors and shared environmental influences could play a significant role in the link between pregnancy complications and cardiovascular disease risk.
Pregnancy complications, such as high blood pressure and premature labor, are known to increase the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease later in life. However, it was unclear whether familial factors contributed to this increased risk. To investigate this, researchers conducted a registry study of Swedish women who gave birth between 1992 and 2019.
The study analyzed women who had experienced pregnancy complications and compared them with their sisters who had no pregnancy complications. The results showed that the sisters of women with complicated pregnancies faced a nearly 40% higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease compared to an unrelated control group. This discovery underscores the potential importance of early cardiovascular disease prevention for women with a history of pregnancy complications, as well as for their close relatives.
“This study suggests that both women with pregnancy complications and their sisters may benefit from targeted prevention strategies, including lifestyle counseling and follow-up care to monitor cardiovascular health,” said Ängla Mantel, one of the researchers.
The study was supported by SFOepi at Karolinska Institutet and the Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation.
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