title: Impact of gestational risk factors on maternal cardiovascular system.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Scarce evidence is available on the potential cardiovascular abnormalities associated with some common gestational complications. We aimed to analyze the potential maternal cardiac alterations related to gestational complications, including body mass index (BMI) >25 kg/m(2), gaining excessive weight, or developing antenatal depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  The design of this study was a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Echocardiography was performed to assess cardiovascular indicators of maternal hemodynamic, cardiac remodeling and left ventricular (LV) function in 59 sedentary pregnant women at 20 and 34 weeks of gestation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Starting pregnancy with a BMI >25 kg/m(2), gaining excessive weight, and developing antenatal depression had no cardiovascular impact on maternal health (P value >0.002). Depressed women were more likely to exceed weight gain recommendations than non-depressed women (P value <0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The evaluated gestational complications seem not to induce cardiovascular alterations in hemodynamic, remodeling and LV function indicators. However, developing antenatal depression increases the risk of an excessive weight gain. This finding is potentially important because excessive weight gain during pregnancy associates with a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) later in life.
authors: Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre ('i+12'), Madrid, Spain;; Camilo Jose Cela University, Madrid, Spain;
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Perales
authors: Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre ('i+12'), Madrid, Spain;; GIDFYS, Department of Health Sciences, European University Miguel de Cervantes, Valladolid, Spain;
authors: Alejandro
authors: A
authors: Santos-Lozano
authors: Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre ('i+12'), Madrid, Spain ;
authors: Fabian
authors: F
authors: Sanchis-Gomar
authors: Hospital Clínico San Carlos, Madrid, Spain ;
authors: María
authors: M
authors: Luaces
authors: Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre ('i+12'), Madrid, Spain;; European University, Madrid, Spain;
authors: Helios
authors: H
authors: Pareja-Galeano
authors: Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre ('i+12'), Madrid, Spain;; Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud y del Deporte, GENUD (Growth, Exercise, Nutrition and Development) Research Group, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón -IA2- (Universidad de Zaragoza-CITA), Zaragoza, Spain;
authors: Nuria
authors: N
authors: Garatachea
authors: AFIPE Research Group, Technical University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
authors: Rubén
authors: R
authors: Barakat
authors: Research Institute, Hospital 12 de Octubre ('i+12'), Madrid, Spain;; European University, Madrid, Spain;
authors: Alejandro
authors: A
authors: Lucia
keywords: Pregnancy; cardiovascular disease (CVD); depression; echocardiography; weight