Number of births increase risk of heart diseases in women

A new research has revealed that women who give birth to four or more children are more likely to have cardiovascular changes than women who have fewer children.

The research led by cardiologists of UT Southwestern Medical Center compared the number of live births with women coronary artery calcium (CAC) levels and aortic wall thickness (AWT), which were markers of heart disease that show up before symptoms develop.

The researcher observed that women who reported four or more live births had a 27 percent prevalence of a high calcium score compared with 11 percent among those with two to three live births.

Dr. Monika Sanghavi, lead author of the study said that the research results were not affected by adjusting for socioeconomic status or traditional cardiovascular risk factors, instead physiological changes associated with pregnancy account for the change.

Dr. Sanghavi further added that during pregnancy, a woman's abdominal size increases, she had higher levels of lipids in her blood, and higher blood sugar levels, and each pregnancy increase this exposure.

Dr. Amit Khera, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine explained that there were numerous physiologic changes during pregnancy that had consequences for future heart health, and the study reminded the importance of taking a pregnancy history as part of cardiovascular disease screening.

The research is published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology.