Women with pre-eclampsia have a higher likelihood of heart attack and stroke than their peers within just seven years of delivery, with risks remaining elevated more than 20 years later. The study in more than one million pregnant women is published today in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, a journal of the ESC.

The high risk of cardiovascular disease after pre-eclampsia manifests at young ages and early after delivery,” said study author Dr. Sara Hallum of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. “This indicates that interventions to prevent heart attacks and strokes in affected women cannot wait until middle age when they become eligible for conventional cardiovascular screening programmes.”

 

 

Pre-eclampsia affects up to 8% of pregnancies worldwide

Pre-eclampsia affects up to 8% of pregnancies worldwide. Medical signs are high blood pressure and protein in the urine, which develop after 20 weeks of pregnancy or soon after delivery. Symptoms include severe headac ...