2023/02/17 by Catherine McNestry, Sarah Louise Killeen, Sarah L. Killeen +3 · 1 citation
Medicine · #Gestational Diabetes Research and Management #Maternal and fetal healthcare #Pregnancy and preeclampsia studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/aogs.14523
crossref issued 2023/02/17 · crossref published 2023/02/17 · crossref published-online 2023/02/17 · openalex publication_date 2023/02/17 · crossref created 2023/02/17 · crossref published-print 2023/05/01 · crossref deposited 2025/04/05 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01 · crossref indexed 2026/08/01
There has been increasing recognition of the association between various pregnancy complications and development of chronic disease in later life. Pregnancy has come to be regarded as a physiological stress test, as the strain it places on a woman's body may reveal underlying predispositions to disease that would otherwise remain hidden for many years. Despite the increasing body of data, there is a lack of awareness among healthcare providers surrounding these risks. We performed a narrative literature review and have summarized the associations between the common pregnancy complications including gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, placental abruption, spontaneous preterm birth, stillbirth and miscarriage and subsequent development of chronic disease. Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, spontaneous preterm birth, gestational diabetes, pregnancy loss and placental abruption are all associated with increased risk of various forms of cardiovascular disease. Gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, early miscarriage and recurrent miscarriage are associated with increased risk of diabetes mellitus. Pre-eclampsia, stillbirth and recurrent miscarriage are associated with increased risk of venous thromboembolism. Pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and stillbirth are associated with increased risk of chronic kidney disease. Gestational diabetes is associated with postnatal depression, and also with increased risk of thyroid and stomach cancers. Stillbirth, miscarriage and recurrent miscarriage are associated with increased risk of mental health disorders including depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorders. Counseling in the postnatal period following a complicated pregnancy, and advice regarding risk reduction should be available for all women. Further studies are required to establish optimal screening intervals for cardiovascular disease and diabetes following complicated pregnancy.