Overview
Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Following Complications During Pregnancy
Until recently, it was believed that experiencing pregnancy complications did not increase a woman’s risk of heart disease in later life. However, recent research has shown that women who had high blood pressure or diabetes during pregnancy or gave birth to a preterm or small baby, are twice as likely to develop heart disease later on. If you experienced any of these complications during your pregnancy, it’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about your heart health and take steps to reduce your risk of heart disease.
High Blood Pressure Conditions During Pregnancy
Hypertension is a condition where blood pressure stays consistently high. When this occurs during pregnancy, it’s called gestational hypertension. In some cases, it may lead to preeclampsia, which affects blood vessels and organs like the kidneys. About 5-10% of women worldwide and 3-4% of women in Australia develop high blood pressure during pregnancy.
With gestational hypertension, blood pressure remains normal until after 20 weeks of pregnancy when it becomes consistently high. Preeclampsia is diagnosed by checking for protein in the urine and monitoring swelling in the hands, feet, and face.
Gestational hypertension: this is when your blood pressure is normal until after 20 weeks of pregnancy when it goes up and is consistently raised. No other body systems become involved.
Preeclampsia: Preeclampsia is a condition characterized by consistently high blood pressure during pregnancy, which can impact blood vessels and organs such as the kidneys. A simple urine test is often used to diagnose preeclampsia by checking for protein. Additionally, regular monitoring of swelling in the hands, feet, and/or face may also be conducted.
If you experienced any high blood pressure during pregnancy, even if it went away after giving birth, you may be at increased risk of developing high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke at a younger age than other women as you get older. However, you can greatly reduce this risk and improve your overall health by taking these measures:
Regularly checking your blood pressure
Not smoking, or taking steps to quit if you do smoke
Engaging in daily exercises, such as walking
Eating a healthy diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and salads
Cutting down on sodium (salt) by avoiding adding salt to your food, reading labels, and avoiding foods high in sodium
Maintaining a healthy body weight
Gestational Diabetes: Diabetes During Pregnancy
Gestational diabetes is a condition where the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood is increased during pregnancy. In Australia, around 15% of women are diagnosed with diabetes during pregnancy. Typically, diabetes during pregnancy is diagnosed between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy through a blood test for high blood sugar.
Insulin, a hormone, helps move sugar from the blood into cells to be stored and used as energy. In diabetes, the body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t use it effectively to move sugar into cells. When diabetes isn’t properly managed, high blood sugar can damage nerves, eyes, kidneys, and other organs. Learning about diabetes and taking steps to manage it can help protect your health.
If you had diabetes during pregnancy, you have an increased risk of developing diabetes after pregnancy and having a heart attack at a younger age than other women. However, you can greatly reduce this risk and improve your health by taking these steps:
Get your blood sugar checked every year
Quit smoking or take measures to quit Exercise every day
Eat healthy foods, including vegetables and salads
Reduce your intake of sugary foods
Maintain a healthy body weight.
Long-term Health Risks of Preterm Birth
Preterm birth is when a baby is born before 37 weeks of the pregnancy have been completed. When a baby is born before 28 weeks of the completion of the pregnancy, the baby is called extremely preterm. A baby born between 28 to 32 weeks of pregnancy is called a very preterm baby. Every year about 15 million babies are born preterm, and in Australia, about 8.7% of all babies are born preterm.
If you give birth to a preterm baby, you are at about two times increased risk of having a heart disease. This risk is even higher if you had a very preterm baby or if you had more than one preterm baby. In addition to heart disease, women who have had preterm births are also at an increased risk for other health issues later in life, such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Therefore, it’s important to stay vigilant about your health and work closely with your healthcare provider to manage any potential risks.
To reduce your risk and improve your health, you can take the following steps:
Attend all prenatal appointments and follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations
Avoid smoking and alcohol during pregnancy
Manage any underlying health conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, with the help of your healthcare provider
Aim for a healthy weight before and during pregnancy
Eat a balanced and nutritious diet, including plenty of fruits and vegetables
Get regular physical activity as recommended by your healthcare provider.