Long-Term Effects of Pregnancy Complications on Maternal Health: A Review

Abstract

Background: Most pregnancy-related medical complications appear to resolve at delivery or shortly thereafter. Common examples are preterm labor, placental abruption, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. Women who developed such complications are known to be at increased risk of developing similar complications in future pregnancies. It has recently become evident that these women are at an increased risk of long term medical complications. Methods: A search through scientific publications in English regarding the association of obstetric complications and long-term maternal illness. Results: There is a clear association between various obstetric complications and long-term effects on maternal health. Conclusions: Women with a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes are at increased risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases later in life. Data increasingly links maternal vascular, metabolic, and inflammatory complications of pregnancy with an increased risk of vascular disease in later life.

Meta-analysis on the Effect of Aspirin Use for Prevention of Preeclampsia on Placental Abruption and Antepartum Hemorrhage

“…Placental abruption has been considered, together with preeclampsia, to be the consequence of impaired placentation. 45,46 In this respect, aspirin administration in women at increased risk of impaired placentation may actually lead to a reduction in the risk of abruption, as it does for preeclampsia, provided the dose is ≥100 mg and the gestational age at onset of the treatment is ≤16 weeks.…”

MicroRNA-218-5p Promotes Endovascular Trophoblast Differentiation and Spiral Artery Remodeling

“…2 The risk to the mother does not end with the pregnancy; a relationship of developing PE during pregnancy to future cardiovascular and metabolic diseases has been well established. 3,4 Furthermore, numerous studies report that babies born to PE mothers have a significantly greater risk of developing cardiovascular diseases later in life. 5,6 The pathogenesis of PE is not well understood; however, it is recognized that the placenta is the origin.…”

Associations of Pregnancy Physical Activity with Maternal Cardiometabolic Health, Neonatal Delivery Outcomes and Body Composition in a Biethnic Cohort of 7305 Mother–Child Pairs: The Born in Bradford Study

“…Regular physical activity is advocated for a range of benefits to the uncomplicated pregnancy. This includes reduced risk of complications during birth [1], excess gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes, and hypertensive disorders [2,3], factors that can have long-term adverse effects for mother and child [4][5][6]. Mechanisms of action have been minimally investigated, but are expected to include favourable changes in adiposity, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, blood lipid and lipoprotein concentrations [7,8].…”