Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Cardiovascular Disease: A Spanish Cohort

Background and Aims: Emerging evidence suggests adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) may increase future cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to assess in a Spanish cohort the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease in women with APOs compared to those without such complications. Methods: A retrospective longitudinal cohort study was conducted at Hospital Vall d'Hebron (Barcelona, Spain), including pregnant women delivering between January 2010 and December 2015. Women with pre-existing medical conditions were excluded. APOs included preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, late miscarriage, and stillbirth. Cardiovascular events were defined as acute myocardial infarction or stroke. Both APO and non-APO groups were compared for their risk of cardiovascular events in the years following delivery, using unadjusted and adjusted models. Results: Out of 12,071 pregnant women delivered at Hospital Vall d'Hebron during the study period. 10,734 met the inclusion criteria (8234 in the non-APO group and 2500 in the APO group). The adjusted model revealed a significant association between APOs and cardiovascular events post-delivery (HR 2.5; 95% CI 1.4-4.4). Furthermore, an increased number of APOs (≥2) correlated with a higher risk of post-delivery cardiovascular events (HR 8.6; 95% CI 2.8-26.8). Conclusions: Women with adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs), particularly those experiencing preeclampsia, preterm birth, and late miscarriage, exhibit an elevated long-term risk of cardiovascular events. Our findings highlight that these associations persist even after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors, indicating that APOs may independently influence long-term cardiovascular health. This underscores the importance of recognizing pregnancy as a critical window for early cardiovascular health interventions and counseling. Addressing these risks proactively could improve long-term health outcomes for women with a history of APOs.