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Obstetric History and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk

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Abstract

During normal pregnancy, several metabolic and hemodynamic alterations occur in order to ensure normal fetal development. A pregnant woman’s failure to overcome these alterations may result in hypertensive pregnancy disorders (gestational hypertension, preeclampsia/eclampsia) or gestational diabetes mellitus. Recent studies have shown that these complications not only affect the pregnancy outcome but are also related to vascular dysfunction that persists postpartum. Moreover, there is an established association between hypertensive pregnancy disorders, gestational diabetes mellitus, and subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. Despite the numerous data that support this association, most obstetricians and primary healthcare physicians dot not provide appropriate postpartum follow-up and counseling to women with increased risk of CVD. Lifestyle modifications in association with close follow-up applied early after labor in women with complicated pregnancies may provide early diagnosis and prevention of future cardiovascular events. Therefore, it is essential for the physicians to understand the importance of obstetric history as a predictive factor of CVD and incorporate it in the daily practice in order to optimize the management of women with increased CVD risk and subsequently reduce CVD rates in women.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Eleni Armeni, Evangelia Karopoulou & Irene Lambrinoudaki

Authors
  1. Eleni Armeni
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  2. Evangelia Karopoulou
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  3. Irene Lambrinoudaki
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Irene Lambrinoudaki .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Innovation in Brain Sciencies-Department of Pharmacology and Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Roberta Diaz Brinton

  2. International School for Gynecological and Reproductive Endocrinology, International Society of Gynecological Endocrinology, Locarno, Switzerland

    Andrea R. Genazzani

  3. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

    Tommaso Simoncini

  4. National Heart and Lung Institute, Imperial College London, London, UK

    John C. Stevenson

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Armeni, E., Karopoulou, E., Lambrinoudaki, I. (2019). Obstetric History and Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Risk. In: Brinton, R., Genazzani, A., Simoncini, T., Stevenson, J. (eds) Sex Steroids' Effects on Brain, Heart and Vessels. ISGE Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11355-1_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11355-1_10

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