Chances of a stroke before age 50 may be higher in women who have had high-risk complications in pregnancy
High-risk complications during pregnancy is relatively uncommon in the UK – affecting just up to 10 per cent.
However, figures show those who are impacted may be more likely to experience a stroke before the age of 50.
Researchers in the Netherlands examined a sample of more than 1,000 women between the ages of 18 and 49, who had been pregnant at least once before.
They looked at how often certain pregnancy complications had occurred in those who had strokes.
These included pre-eclampsia – high blood pressure during pregnancy – pre-term birth before 37 weeks, babies born small for their gestational age, gestational diabetes, miscarriage and stillbirth.
Women who had a stroke were found to be more than twice as likely to have gone through at least one pregnancy complication, while those who had previously had a stillbirth were at the highest risk of stroke, estimated to be five times more likely.
Complications such as pre-eclampsia and pre-term birth were associated with strokes linked to large artery disease – often caused by a build-up of fatty deposits.
'Doctors should ask about pregnancy history when assessing stroke risk,' said the study's lead author Dr Frank-Erik de Leeuw, a professor in cerebrovascular disease at Radboud University.
'Our study suggests we may need to start thinking about cardiovascular prevention earlier in life – not just after menopause.
'Future studies should investigate the effects of lifestyle modification aimed at reducing cardiovascular risk in women with pregnancy complications.'
Previous research has shown that pregnancy itself can increase a woman's stroke risk by increasing blood volume, changing blood clotting factors and altering the elasticity of her blood vessels – with the highest risk occurring in the six weeks after delivery.
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