The stress of pregnancy complications could affect heart health, according to a study

Women who experience complications during pregnancy may face a higher risk of heart disease, according to a new study. The stress of these complications increases the risk of hypertension in women for years after childbirth, researchers reported in the journal Hypertension. "For women who were having children for the first time and had complications, known as adverse pregnancy outcomes, we found that higher levels of stress over time were associated with higher blood pressure levels between two and seven years after delivery," said lead researcher Virginia Nuckols, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Delaware, in a press release. "This suggests that women who had complications in pregnancy may be more susceptible to the negative effects of stress on their heart health, and taking steps to manage and reduce stress could be important for protecting long-term heart health," she stated. For the new study, researchers followed the health of more than 3,000 women experiencing a first pregnancy in 17 hospitals located in eight states.

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The team assessed the stress levels of each woman in the first and third trimesters, as well as two and seven years after childbirth. Researchers compared this stress to the women's subsequent heart health, taking into account complications such as preeclampsia, premature birth, fetal death, or a smaller baby. The results showed that women who experienced complications in pregnancy had higher stress levels over time. In addition, that stress was associated with elevated blood pressure readings up to seven years after delivery. On the other hand, women who did not have embarrassing complications did not show higher blood pressure associated with stress. "The blood pressure differences we observed in women with higher perceived stress levels were evident in young women as young as 25 years old, on average," said Nuckols. "Although these differences in blood pressure were modest (about 2 mm Hg), small increases in blood pressure can affect the risk of heart disease over time." Researchers noted that the study could not demonstrate a direct cause-and-effect relationship between stress, pregnancy complications, and heart disease. It is also unclear how greater stress could lead to higher blood pressure in women with problematic pregnancies, according to the researchers. "Future studies should examine why women with a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes may be more susceptible to stress-induced blood pressure increases and check whether stress reduction interventions can actually reduce cardiovascular risk for these women," said Nuckols. Researchers noted that guidelines recommend closely monitoring blood pressure during and after pregnancy. You can also read: "This study highlights the powerful connection between the mind and heart, underscoring the importance of stress management, especially for those who have experienced adverse pregnancy outcomes," said Dr. Laxmi Mehta, president of the American Heart Association's Clinical Cardiology Council, in a press release. "For the clinical care team, this reinforces the need to proactively assess and address stress as part of the comprehensive care we offer our patients," added Mehta, who was not part of the new study. "Future research will also be important on whether targeted interventions to reduce or manage stress have a significant impact on long-term cardiovascular outcomes."