Women's Health

Depression around time of pregnancy may raise risk of cardiovascular disease

Research we're watching

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch
  • Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
A pregnant woman with one hand on her belly and the other on her forehead.

The study involved data from more than 600,000 Swedish women over 14 years (including 55,539 diagnosed with perinatal depression and 545,567 without the mood disorder, who were matched by age and the years of their pregnancies). Researchers tracked all participants for at least six years and used national health records to find out who subsequently developed cardiovascular disease. To minimize the influence of genetics, the authors did a separate comparison between a subgroup of women with perinatal depression and their sisters who'd had babies but no depression.

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About the Author

photo of Maureen Salamon

Maureen Salamon, Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch

Maureen Salamon is executive editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch. She began her career as a newspaper reporter and later covered health and medicine for a wide variety of websites, magazines, and hospitals. Her work has … See Full Bio
View all posts by Maureen Salamon

About the Reviewer

photo of Toni Golen, MD

Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor

Dr. Toni Golen is a physician specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, practicing in Boston. Dr. Golen completed her residency training at George Washington University Medical Center in 1995, and is an associate professor at Harvard Medical … See Full Bio
View all posts by Toni Golen, MD

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