Preeclampsia is a health problem that affects some pregnant women and is characterized by high blood pressure together with high levels of protein in the urine (proteinuria) that can damage the kidneys and other organs. Preeclampsia is known to hinder fetal development if not properly treated by interfering with the function of the arteries that carry blood to the placenta, but new research has revealed that it can also lead to other health problems for the baby. long term baby
The study authors are researchers affiliated with various institutions in Sweden, Finland and Denmark who have found evidence to suggest that babies born to women with preeclampsia are at increased risk of future stroke or heart disease. These scientists analyzed the medical records of 8.5 million babies born in Denmark, Finland and Sweden between the 1970s and 1980s and followed these children for cases of ischemic heart disease (CHD) or stroke for 40 years. after his birth.
The research – published in JAMA Network Open – shows that children born to mothers who had preeclampsia during pregnancy were 33% more likely to develop ischemic heart disease over time and had a 34% higher risk of stroke compared to those born to women. without the disorder. In addition, they observed a small increased risk of stroke in the siblings of children who were born to mothers with preeclampsia.
Link between preeclampsia and cardiovascular risk of the baby
The researchers took into account factors that could influence the risk of stroke, coronary heart disease, or preeclampsia, such as the diabetic status of the mothers or the sex of their children, and found that the potential risks of preeclampsia did not differ substantially when taking into account counts maternal BMI (body mass index), smoking status, or family history of cardiovascular disease.
The results of the study suggest that the children of women with preeclampsia had an increased risk of ischemic heart disease and stroke that was not fully explained by preterm birth or low weight for gestational age, and that the associated risks of stroke they were higher if the mother had severe forms of pre-eclampsia and were also more significant when mothers developed the condition later in their pregnancies than those who developed it early.
The researchers say their study is the first to have found a link between babies born to women with preeclampsia and increased risk of heart disease or stroke later in life, that the accuracy of the results is ensured by the large size of the sample, which also allowed them to assess the role of premature babies in increasing the risk of heart disease in the future.
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