The impact of pregnancy on future health

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Jane Tooher, Charlene Thornton, Angela Makris, Robert Ogle, Andrew Korda and Annemarie Hennessy

University of Western Sydney, School of Medicine, Campbelltown, NSW, Austral

: J Womens Health, Issues Care

Abstract

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Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are associated with abnormal vascular function in the pregnancy and an increased risk of long term cardiovascular disease in the mother. The objective of the study was to ascertain the current health profile of a cohort of women who were diagnosed with hypertension in pregnancy during the years 1980-89 and to examine the association between the two. A cohort of women was defined by the time period of having given birth and having had hypertension during their pregnancy. These were compared with age adjusted Australian Bureau of Statistics data. These women were invited to participate in a current health assessment. The medical records of these women were also reviewed to collect data pertaining to their pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes. Ten of these women also had a Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography in order to determine evidence of ischaemic heart disease. Of the women who had new onset hypertension during pregnancy, 80% currently have been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease compared to 48% in the general female population (OR 4.3 95% CI 2.31-8.12) and 70% have current hypertension compared to 32% in the general female (OR 4.96 95% CI 2.72-9.03) population. Of the ten women who attended the Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography, four (40%) of the women had 50% or more obstructive stenosis in at least one vessel. The results demonstrated that women who presented with hypertension disorders of pregnancy were at greater risk of cardiovascular disease compared to the women who remained normotensive in their pregnancy.

Biography

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E-mail: jane.tooher@health.nsw.gov.au