Speakers - 2026

Title: Pregnancy Complications as Early Cardiovascular Risk Markers in Women: Opportunities for Earlier Identification and Prevention

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of mortality among women worldwide. In recent years, pregnancy has been increasingly recognized as a natural physiological stress test that can reveal underlying cardiovascular vulnerability. Pregnancy complications, including hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, and fetal growth restriction, are now associated with a significantly increased risk of future cardiovascular disease, including hypertension, ischemic heart disease, and heart failure.

Despite growing epidemiological and pathophysiological evidence, obstetric history remains underutilized in cardiovascular risk stratification and prevention strategies. This represents a missed opportunity for early identification of women at increased cardiovascular risk, often decades before the onset of clinical disease.

This presentation synthesizes findings from an exploratory literature review examining the relationship between pregnancy complications and long-term cardiovascular risk. It highlights the mechanisms linking pregnancy complications to cardiovascular disease and examines their potential role as early clinical markers for risk stratification.

Findings support the integration of obstetric history into routine cardiovascular assessment to improve early detection and enable timely preventive interventions. This life-course approach provides an opportunity to identify at-risk women earlier and improve long-term cardiovascular outcomes.

The presentation also discusses implications for clinical practice, including opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration to improve cardiovascular risk identification and prevention in women.