0
0
Women diagnosed with depression around the time of childbirth appear to face a higher risk of heart problems later in life, according to a new study.
The study focused on perinatal depression, encompassing both postnatal depression and depression during pregnancy, and found it to be linked with an elevated risk of cardiovascular issues. These include high blood pressure, heart disease, and heart failure, which can persist for up to 20 years after childbirth.
Swedish researchers from the Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, noted that the connections between perinatal depression and long-term cardiovascular risk were previously “largely unknown.” Their findings, published in the European Heart Journal, tracked women for more than a decade to uncover these links.
The researchers examined data on nearly 56,000 women diagnosed with perinatal depression between 2001 and 2014. This group was compared to almost 546,000 women who gave birth in the same period but did not have perinatal depression. The study tracked these women for an average of 10 years, with some monitored for up to 20 years.
During the follow-up, 6.4% of women with perinatal depression were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, compared to 3.7% of those without depression. The study found that women with perinatal depression had a 36% increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Specifically, those diagnosed with depression before childbirth had a 29% increased risk, while those with postnatal depression faced a 42% higher chance of developing heart disease.
The heightened risk was most pronounced in women who had not experienced depression before pregnancy. The increased risk spanned all types of cardiovascular diseases, with notable emphasis on ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and high blood pressure.
“Our findings may help identify people who are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease so that steps can be taken to reduce this risk,” said Dr. Emma Brann from the Karolinska Institutet. “We know that perinatal depression is both preventable and treatable, and for many people, it’s the first episode of depression they’ve ever experienced.”
Dr. Brann emphasized the importance of holistic maternal care, balancing both physical and mental health. She acknowledged the need for further research to understand the pathways through which perinatal depression leads to cardiovascular disease. “We need to do more research to understand this so that we can find the best ways to prevent depression and lower the risk of CVD,” she said.
The researchers also analyzed data on sisters, finding that the increased cardiovascular risk persisted in the sister who experienced perinatal depression compared to her sibling who did not. Women with perinatal depression had a 20% higher risk of heart disease compared to their sisters.
Dr. Brann suggested that genetic or familial factors might partly explain this difference, alongside other factors such as immune system alterations, oxidative stress, and lifestyle changes associated with major depression.
The study underscores the critical need for comprehensive maternal care that includes mental health support, aiming to mitigate long-term health risks for mothers.
