A recent study conducted by Karolinska Institutet and published in the European Heart Journal highlights a concerning connection between pregnancy complications and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, not only for the women who experience such complications but also for their sisters—regardless of their own pregnancy outcomes.
The research suggests that both genetic and environmental factors may play a significant role in this elevated cardiovascular risk. Complications during pregnancy, such as high blood pressure and premature labor, have long been known to increase the likelihood of cardiovascular issues later in life. However, the potential familial factors contributing to this connection have remained largely unexplored—until now.
The study, which utilized data from Swedish birth registries spanning from 1992 to 2019, examined the cardiovascular health of women who experienced pregnancy complications and compared it with that of their sisters, who had uneventful pregnancies. The findings were striking: while women who had complicated pregnancies already faced a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, their sisters showed a nearly 40% increased risk compared to a control group of unrelated women.
Ängla Mantel, the lead author of the study and docent at the Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, emphasized the significance of these findings. “Our results show that the risk of cardiovascular disease following a pregnancy complication does not depend solely on the pregnancy itself but can be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors shared within families,” Mantel explained.
This discovery suggests that women who experience pregnancy complications, as well as their sisters, may benefit from targeted prevention efforts. Mantel advocates for early identification of these individuals to facilitate interventions, which could include preventive treatment for pregnancy complications, lifestyle counseling, and ongoing monitoring of cardiovascular disease risk.
The study’s results underscore the importance of considering familial health history in the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease, especially among women with a history of pregnancy-related complications.
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