Prepregnancy cardiovascular risk factors as predictors of pre-eclampsia: population based cohort study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of cardiovascular risk factors before pregnancy on risk of pre-eclampsia.


METHODS
Population based prospective study.


METHODS
Linkage between a Norwegian population based study (Nord-Trøndelag health study, HUNT-2) and Norway's medical birth registry.


METHODS
3494 women who gave birth after participating in the Nord-Trøndelag health study at baseline; of whom 133 (3.8%) delivered after a pre-eclamptic pregnancy.


METHODS
Odds ratio of developing pre-eclampsia.


RESULTS
After adjustment for smoking; previous pre-eclampsia; parity; maternal age, education, and socioeconomic position; and duration between baseline measurements and delivery, positive associations were found between prepregnancy serum levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and blood pressure and risk of pre-eclampsia. The odds ratio of developing pre-eclampsia for women with baseline systolic blood pressures greater than 130 mm Hg (highest fifth) was 7.3 (95% confidence interval 3.1 to 17.2) compared with women with systolic blood pressures less than 111 mm Hg (lowest fifth). Similar results were found for nulliparous and parous women. Women who used oral contraceptives at baseline had half the risk of pre-eclampsia compared with never or former users (0.5, 0.3 to 0.9).


CONCLUSIONS
Women with cardiovascular risk factors may be predisposed to pre-eclampsia.
Magnussen
Elisabeth Balstad
EB
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7489 Trondheim, Norway. elisabeth.b.magnussen@ntnu.no
Vatten
Lars Johan
LJ
Lund-Nilsen
Tom Ivar
TI
Salvesen
Kjell Asmund
KA
Davey Smith
George
G
Romundstad
Pål Richard
PR
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors