Cardiovascular Health Profiles in Pregnant, Postpartum, and Nonpregnant Reproductive-Aged Women Using Life's...

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Health
• Reproductive Health
• Public Health

Background:

• Adverse pregnancy outcomes contribute significantly to maternal mortality in the U.S.
• Limited national data exist on cardiovascular health (CVH) among reproductive-aged women.
• Assessing CVH in this demographic is crucial for understanding maternal mortality drivers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the cardiovascular health (CVH) of reproductive-aged women in the U.S.
• To compare CVH scores among pregnant, postpartum, and nonpregnant women.
• Utilize the American Heart Association's Life's Essential 8 (LE8) score for assessment.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of U.S. women aged 20-44 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2015-2023).
• Calculation of LE8 scores based on core components for nonpregnant women and those with pregnancy-related conditions.
• Population-weighted analyses to compare CVH scores across different reproductive status groups.

Main Results:

• The study included 3,992 participants, representing 46.9 million U.S. women; 10.7% had pregnancy-related conditions.
• Overall mean LE8 score was 66 (moderate CVH), with no significant difference between pregnant/postpartum women and nonpregnant women.
• Pregnant women had the lowest LE8 scores (62) compared to postpartum (67), breastfeeding (70), and nonpregnant women (66).
• Elevated high-sensitive C-reactive protein levels were observed in pregnant women.

Conclusions:

• Reproductive-aged women in the U.S. exhibit moderate cardiovascular health.
• Pregnant women demonstrate lower LE8 scores, suggesting potential cardiovascular risks.
• Findings identify targets for interventions to mitigate adverse pregnancy outcomes and future cardiovascular disease risk.