Women's Reproductive History and Future Cardiovascular Risk

Preeclampsia consistently carries heightened risks, oral contraceptives carry risks for some outcomes, and longer breast-feeding is associated with lower risk for some outcomes.

Factors related to women's reproductive history have been linked to future cardiovascular risk. These authors performed an umbrella review of 24 meta-analyses and 8 systematic reviews (median follow-up: fertility factors, 8 years; pregnancy factors, 10 years), assessing the association of female-specific factors with future cardiovascular risks (ischemic heart disease, heart failure, peripheral artery disease, stroke, and their composite) in women of reproductive age.

Significant findings were as follows:

Composite cardiovascular outcome

Preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, stillbirth, and preterm birth, ≥2-fold increased risk
Gestational hypertension, placental abruption, and premature ovarian failure, 1.5- to 1.9-fold increased risk
Early menar…

Reviewing Author

Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD, FACC

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBoehringer Ingelheim; Amgen; Novartis; Lilly; Amarin

Speaker’s BureauBoehringer Ingelheim

Grant/Research SupportNIH

Editorial BoardsCirculation (Associate Editor)