Poor heart health may signal gestational diabetes risk in pregnancy: Study

New Delhi, July 4 Women with poor cardiovascular health may be at a higher risk of developing gestational diabetes and coronary artery calcium (CAC) in midlife, according to a study.

CAC refers to the buildup of calcium deposits in the walls of the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart. It is a significant indicator of heart disease risk.

The findings, published in JAMA Cardiology, suggest that gestational diabetes is a marker of pre-pregnancy cardiovascular health. It also underscores the importance of healthcare providers in helping patients improve their cardiovascular health both prior and after pregnancy.

"We need to optimise cardiovascular health early in the life course," said lead author Natalie Cameron, instructor in the Department of Medicine's Division of General Internal Medicine at Northwestern University, US.

In the study, the investigators analysed patient data originally collected from 1985 to 2010. Of the more than 1,000 participants included in the cohort, the average age was 28.6 years.

All participants had at least one singleton birth and did not have pre-pregnancy diabetes.

Overall, the investigators found that participants with poor pre-pregnancy cardiovascular health compared to those with better pre-pregnancy cardiovascular health were more likely to have a pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes and were more likely to develop CAC.

"Patients with gestational diabetes and other adverse pregnancy outcomes should follow up with a primary care provider so we can optimise heart health after pregnancy," Cameron said.

"We need to take a good pregnancy history, ask about lifestyle behaviours such as diet and physical activity, and screen for cardiovascular disease risk factors. Then we can work with patients to help them optimise their heart health throughout their life course," she added.

The researchers also urged revamping postpartum primary care for women with adverse pregnancy outcomes to seamlessly help patients get from obstetrics to a primary care provider.

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