Pregnancy Loss Associated With Greater Long-Term CVD Risk

Healthday News — A pregnancy loss (< 6 months) is associated with a greater long-term risk for cardiovascular events in women in the United States. This research was presented at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions, held November 10-12, 2018.

Researchers sought to use long-term prospective data to assess the relationships between pregnancy loss and cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, in particular myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, coronary revascularization, and cardiovascular death. 

They examined data from 25,674 women in 4 baseline cohorts (no pregnancy loss [referent], 1 pregnancy loss, 2 pregnancy losses, and 3+ pregnancy losses) at 2 time points: baseline and follow-up (mean of 20 years).

The participants were questioned on number of pregnancies lasting less than 6 months, including abortions and miscarriages. The mean age at baseline (1993) was 53.5±6.1 years.

Compared with the referent cohort, women with both 1 and 2 pregnancy losses had higher CVD risk (hazard ratio 1.14 and 1.21, respectively).

A history of venous thromboembolism played a role in CVD event risk. Moreover, compared with women who had been pregnant (≥ 6 months) with no history of pregnancy loss, women who had been pregnant with history of pregnancy loss had greater risk for CVD events (hazard ratio 1.16).

Results suggest long-term CVD event risk is associated with pregnancy loss (regardless of the number of pregnancy losses).

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