A history of infertility in women may be a marker for cardiovascular disease (CVH) later in life, according to a recent study.
Cardiovascular disease is a group of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels, including coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, and other conditions.
Infertility and Decreased Heart Health
In a recent study published in JAMA Network Open, researchers discovered a significant association between a history of infertility and decreased cardiovascular health (CVH) in middle age.
The study used data from the Project Viva pregnancy cohort, which included women in their 22nd week of pregnancy in the Boston area between 1999 and 2002.
Infertility was defined as unsuccessful attempts to conceive for 12 months or more, or 6 months if the woman was 35 years of age or older.
Cardiovascular disease was also assessed using the LE8 Basic Life Areas. These areas include behavioral factors such as diet, physical activity, smoking status, and sleep quality, along with biomedical factors such as weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.
Scores for the eight core life skills areas ranged from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better cardiovascular health.
The study included 468 participants, 34.2% of whom reported a history of infertility. These women scored lower on the eight core life skills areas—general, biomedical, and blood biomarkers—compared to those without infertility.
A Crucial Factor
The study's findings suggest that a history of infertility could be a crucial factor that clinicians should consider when assessing women's cardiovascular risk.
This association is particularly significant given that elevated blood sugar levels, a measure of cardiovascular health, have been observed in women experiencing preconception stress, especially among women using intrauterine insemination (IUI) and those with higher socioeconomic status.
These findings are of great importance as previous research has highlighted that women with a history of gestational diabetes during pregnancy are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems later in life.