A recent study presented at the annual meeting of the Menopause Society, held from September 10 to 14 in Chicago, reveals that a self-reported history of gestational hypertension is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in postmenopausal women.

Conducted by Marie Tan and colleagues from Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, the study involved 383 women who were surveyed during mammogram screenings. The research aimed to explore the links between adverse pregnancy outcomes, such as preeclampsia, eclampsia, gestational hypertension, and gestational diabetes, with CVD in postmenopausal women.

The findings revealed that 10.3 percent of women reported a history of CVD, while 2.8 percent had experienced preeclampsia or eclampsia, 2.1 percent reported gestational hypertension, and 3.6 percent had a history of gestational diabetes. Notably, the study identified a significant association between gestational hypertension and CVD. However, while women with preeclampsia, eclampsia, or multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes had a numerically higher prevalence of CVD, these associations were not statistically significant. Additionally, the study found no link between gestational diabetes and CVD.

Tan emphasized the need for further research, stating, "Future research based on a larger sample size is needed to better understand the role adverse pregnancy outcomes may have in cardiovascular disease development and risk stratification."

This study highlights the importance of recognizing gestational hypertension as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease in women later in life, urging healthcare providers to consider pregnancy history when assessing cardiovascular health in postmenopausal women.