Maternal Age at First Delivery and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Later in Life

Abstract

Background. To elucidate the association between maternal age at first delivery and cardiovascular health in women. Material and Method. A nationally representative survey, comprising 3,937 Finnish women aged 30-99 years with information on most of the potential cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Weighting survey analyses and logistic regression were performed. Results. Women who had their first delivery at age 25 or less had about five times higher odds ratio for myocardial infarction (fully adjusted OR: 4.82; 95% CI: 1.39-16.75) and about 2-fold higher odds ratio of arrhythmia (fully adjusted OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.13-2.92) compared to those who were 31-35 years at their first delivery. Each one year younger maternal age at first delivery predicted a higher risk of myocardial infarction (age-adjusted OR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.06-1.18), hypertension (age-adjusted OR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.03-1.07), arrhythmia (age-adjusted OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01-1.05), angina pectoris (age-adjusted OR = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.02-1.10), and heart failure (age-adjusted OR = 1.05; 95% CI: 1.01-1.10). Conclusion. Maternal earlier age at first delivery is related to subsequent development of CVD, especially myocardial infarction. Our findings suggest a need for additional care and monitoring for CVD and its risk factors in women who had their first delivery at young ages.

Factors associated with the CVD risk factors and body fat pattern of postmenopausal Hindu caste and Lodha tribal populations living in India: An exploratory study

“…Our study showed that parity is positively associated with BMI, while age at first pregnancy had an inverse association with PBF and subcutaneous fat of trunk and a positive association with the skeletal fat of arms and legs. Childbirth at a younger age and increased parity have been independently associated with central obesity for women later in life due to increased stress or changes in the lifestyle factors which is in partial agreement with our study [ 72 , 76 ]. For example, studies on Korean and US postmenopausal women showed similar results [ 73 , 74 ].…”

Age at first birth and cardiovascular risk factors in the 1958 British birth cohort

“…For instance, a young age at first birth (<20 years) has previously been linked to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality in American women 1–4. Similarly, Finnish women who had their first child before age 25 years had increased risk of myocardial infarction and arrhythmia 5. In contrast, the biodevelopmental view suggests that childbearing should occur earlier in life, shortly after the reproductive system has matured,1 although this theory has received little support from empirical population studies.…”

“… 1–4 Similarly, Finnish women who had their first child before age 25 years had increased risk of myocardial infarction and arrhythmia. 5 In contrast, the biodevelopmental view suggests that childbearing should occur earlier in life, shortly after the reproductive system has matured, 1 although this theory has received little support from empirical population studies. Most previous research has focused on the health of women; however, more recently, work on age at first birth and later health has been extended to look at the long-term health of young fathers.…”

Early parenthood as a link between childhood disadvantage and adult heart problems: A gender-based approach

“…Individuals, especially women, who grow up in disadvantaged families are more likely to enter parenthood at earlier ages (Pears et al, 2005) and have more children over the life course with shorter birth spacing (Setty-Venugopal & Upadhyay, 2002). Early transition to parenthood can lead to physiological tolls for women, such as hypertension and excessive weight gain, which may persist for decades after childbirth (Adamo et al, 2012), thus increasing risk for cardiovascular diseases in later life (Kharazmi et al, 2013). …”