Older mothers may face increased risk of stroke, heart attack

 

Having a baby at a later age has been linked to increased risk of complications for both mother and child. Now, a new study suggests there may be other downsides to a later pregnancy: having a baby aged 40 or older may increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular death later in life.

A 2015 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that the pregnancy rate for women aged 40-44 increased from 11 per 1,000 women in 1990 to 19 per 2,000 in 2012.

"We already knew that older women were more likely than younger women to experience health problems during their pregnancy," says Dr. Qureshi from CDC, “we know that the consequences of that later pregnancy stretch years into the future."

To reach their findings - recently presented at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2016 in Los Angeles, CA - the team analyzed data of 72,221 women aged 50-79 who were part of the Women's Health Initiative Study.

Of these women, 3,306 reported becoming pregnant at the age of 40 or older.

Women 'should be aware of cardiovascular risks' with later pregnancies

Compared with women who had a pregnancy at a younger age, those who became pregnant at the age of 40 or older were found to have a 1.4% higher risk of ischemic stroke and a 0.5% higher risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

Ischemic stroke - where blood flow to the brain is blocked - is the most common form of stroke, accounting for around 87% of all cases. Hemorrhagic stroke accounts for the remaining 13% of cases, occurring when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds.

Additionally, the researchers found that women who had a later pregnancy had a 0.5% greater risk for heart attack and a 1.6% greater risk of death from all forms of cardiovascular disease.

Other risk factors for cardiovascular disease – including high blood pressure, high?cholesterol?and?diabetes?- could account for the increased risks of ischemic stroke, heart attack and cardiovascular death among women with later pregnancies, according to the team.

Dr. Qureshi says their findings should make women aware of the possible increased risks they face and encourage them to take steps to improve their cardiovascular health.

Earlier this month, Medical News Today reported on some good news for expectant mothers; a study suggested that eating chocolate or the health products which include Omega-3 daily during pregnancy may benefit fetal growth and development.