Women's Health
Depression around time of pregnancy may raise risk of cardiovascular disease
Research we're watching
- Reviewed by Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
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
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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