Depression around childbirth linked to future heart risk: Study

London, June 19

Women who are diagnosed with depression around the time they give birth appear to have a higher risk of heart problems in later life, according to a new study. 

Those diagnosed with perinatal depression—which includes postnatal depression and depression during pregnancy—may be at a higher risk of heart problems including high blood pressure; heart disease and heart failure for up to 20 years afterwards.

Swedish researchers said that the links between depression around childbirth and the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease are “largely unknown” as they published a study tracking women for more than a decade.

The study, published in the European Heart Journal, examined data on almost 56,000 women diagnosed with perinatal depression between 2001 and 2014.

Their information was matched to almost 5,46,000 who had babies during the same time period who were not diagnosed with perinatal depression.

The women were tracked on an average of 10 years, with some monitored for up to 20 years after diagnosis.

Some 6.4 per cent of women with perinatal depression were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease during the follow-up, compared to 3.7 per cent of those who were not diagnosed with depression.

Researchers found that those diagnosed with perinatal depression had a 36 per cent increased risk of cardiovascular disease during the follow-up period.

Women diagnosed with depression before childbirth had a 29 per cent increased risk, while those diagnosed with postnatal depression had a 42 per cent higher odds of developing heart disease, they found.

The results were “most pronounced” in women who had not suffered depression before pregnancy, the authors said.