Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in women with preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction.

Objective: To identify the risk factors for cardiovascular disease in women with pre-eclampsia and intrauterine growth retardation.

Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Liaquat University Hospital, Hyderabad, from April 2022 to October 2022. Patients with history of intrauterine growth retardation or preeclampsia after 20 weeks of gestation, age more than 18 years were included in this study. Patients were assessed for cardiovascular risk factors during pregnancy.

Results: The average age and gestational age were almost equal in preeclampsia and IUGR patients, (p≤0.050). The primparous were higher in preeclampsia than IUGR, n=286 (73.5%) and n=80 (52.3%), respectively, (p=0.000). The average birth weight of IUGR was lower than preeclampsia patients, 925.19±6.35 gram and 1324.76±10.19 gram, respectively, (p=0.000). The average systolic and diastolic blood pressure of IUGR patients was less than preeclampsia patients, (p=0.000). But, the chronic hypertension was higher in preeclampsia patients n=99 (25.4%) as compare to IUGR n=13 (8.5%) patients, (p=0.000). The average cholesterol level in IUGR was 5.52±0.58(mmol/L) versus preeclampsia 5.34±1.01(mmol/L), (p=0.043). The average triglycerides was almost equal in both the groups, (p=0.924). The mean Lp(a) in preeclampsia patients was 177.15±20.15(mg/L) versus 202.94±24.83 (mg/L), (p=0.000).

Conclusion: Findings of this study help conclude that women with known history of IUGR or preeclampsia must be screened for possible cardiovascular risk factors and treated for these risk factors in order to avoid future mortality and morbidity associated with cardiovascular diseases.