Women's Health
After the baby grows up, how will your heart fare?
Certain pregnancy complications can heighten a mother's cardiovascular dangers decades later. Find out who's at risk and why.
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Pregnancy is seldom a walk in the park. But if yours was marked by complications such as high blood pressure or diabetes, you probably hoped those hurdles were behind you after your baby was born.
Hope isn't a strategy, however, when it comes to protecting your health. And it's becoming increasingly evident that certain pregnancy and reproductive factors raise red flags about your cardiovascular health years or decades down the line. The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine equates pregnancy to a "cardiovascular stress test," noting that certain complications point toward higher risks for heart attack or stroke later in life.
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About the Author
Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
About the Reviewer
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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