Cardiovascular Risk During Pregnancy: Scoping Review on the Clinical Implications and Long-Term Consequences.

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Reproductive Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Pregnancy involves significant physiological changes that can unmask or trigger latent cardiovascular risk factors.
• Pregnancy complications like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes are linked to long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
• Assessing cardiovascular risk (CVR) during pregnancy is crucial for timely intervention and improved maternal/fetal outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine cardiovascular risk during pregnancy and its long-term consequences.
• To provide an integrative perspective on cardiovascular alterations and pregnancy.
• To identify etiological, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of CVR in pregnancy.

Main Methods:

• A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
• Literature searches were performed in PubMed, Embase, and Scopus (2019-2024).
• 20 out of 205 initially identified articles met inclusion criteria for analysis.

Main Results:

• Pregnancy acts as a "cardiovascular stress test," revealing underlying CVR.
• Obstetric complications are associated with increased future CVD risk.
• Genetic factors and biomarkers show promise for CVR assessment; personalized management strategies are effective.

Conclusions:

• Pregnancy offers a critical window for early CVR identification and management.
• Obstetric complications significantly increase the likelihood of future cardiovascular disease.
• Interventions during pregnancy are vital for improving maternal/neonatal outcomes and reducing long-term cardiovascular morbidity.