Infertility May Correlate with Risk of Stroke in Women
A recent study found that a history of infertility in women may correlate with the risk of stroke later in life.
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- BMJ recently published an article that correlated a history of infertility with a risk of stroke. The study determined that women who had experienced miscarriages and birth-related child loss had increased stroke rates.
This study looked at 618,851 women in seven countries between 32 and 73 years old. The death registry provided information on fatal strokes, while non-fatal stroke information was obtained through questionnaires, patient registries, or hospital data.
National Heart Blood and Lung Institute, a subdivision of the NIH, states that strokes are caused by restricted blood flow to the brain, which prevents oxygenation and damages brain cells. In addition to a limited flow, excessive bleeding in the brain can damage the cells, leading to stroke.
According to the CDC, stroke is one of women’s top five leading causes of death. The CDC also highlights statistics stating that, in 2020, one-sixth of all cardiovascular deaths were due to stroke.
A stroke can be fatal; however, even non-fatal strokes have long-term — sometimes debilitating — side effects. Complications of stroke can include aphasia, memory loss, paralysis, pain, and behavioral changes.
The publication divided the analysis into three parts: infertility, stillbirth, and miscarriage.
A history of infertility was linked to an increased risk of stroke. Similarly, the risk of nonfatal stroke increased by 31% in women who have had a stillbirth. Miscarriage also increased the risk of stroke by 11%.
Both miscarriage and stillbirth were associated with an increased risk of fatal stroke. The researchers also found that recurrent miscarriages heightened stroke risks.
Despite the weight that this study holds, there are limitations and concerns about the conclusions. Study-specific limitations include potential inconsistencies in the definitions and limited information on comorbidities.
Furthermore, a previous Canadian Medical Association Journal study found that failed fertility treatments increased cardiovascular risk. The BMJ review does not consider the difference between patients who underwent fertility treatment and those who didn’t.
Other stroke risks such as high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking status, obesity, and race have been better explored.
“A history of recurrent miscarriages and death or loss of a baby before or during birth should be considered a female-specific risk factor for stroke. Early monitoring of women with recurrent miscarriages or stillbirths and tailored healthy lifestyle interventions are recommended to lower the risk of stroke,” concluded the researchers in the study.
