Arushi Bidhuri
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Written By: Arushi Bidhuri | Updated : June 29, 2022 11:17 AM IST
Miscarriage or pregnancy loss puts an unexpected ending to your chance of having a baby. Did you know that half of all pregnancies end in miscarriage before a person even knows that they are pregnant? It mostly occurs within the first three months of the pregnancy and 1 per cent of the miscarriages after 20 weeks of gestation.
Infertility, on the other hand, is also on an increase in couples who are trying to conceive. It is becoming more common, especially in developing countries. While these two problems are devastating as it is, they can bring more complications along with them.
As per a study of observational studies published in the journal BMJ, infertility and miscarriage put you at higher risk of non-fatal and fatal stroke later in life.
For the study, researchers examined data of 6,20,000 women between the ages of 32 and 73. However, women under the age of 40 who had non-fatal strokes were not included because they might have experienced a stroke before a history of infertility, miscarriage, or stillbirth could be established. The results were also adjusted for a number of variables, including race, weight, lifestyle, and underlying illnesses. The study found that miscarriage, stillbirth, and infertility are all linked to an elevated risk of stroke, particularly recurrent miscarriages (three or more) and stillbirths.
A non-fatal stroke was 14 per cent more likely to occur in women with a history of infertility than in those without such a history. Additionally, miscarriage was linked to an 11 per cent increased risk of non-fatal stroke compared to women who had not experienced a miscarriage. One, two, and three miscarriages resulted in a 7 per cent, 12 per cent, and 35 per cent increase in stroke risk, respectively. The risk rose with the number of miscarriages a woman experienced.
The increased risk of non-fatal ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke was 37 per cent and 41 per cent for women who experienced three or more miscarriages, respectively. Similar results were seen for fatal ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke, where having three or more miscarriages was associated with an increase in the risk of 83 per cent and 84 per cent, respectively.
Women who had two or more stillbirths were about 80 per cent more likely to have a non-fatal ischemic stroke, and those with a history of stillbirth had a risk of non-fatal stroke that was over 30 per cent greater. The study also discovered that having several stillbirths was linked to a fatal stroke risk that was over 40 per cent greater.
According to the research, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) may be to blame for the association between infertility and increased stroke risk, whereas endothelial dysfunction (narrowing of the heart's blood vessels) may be to blame for the increased risk of stroke in women who have a history of recurrent stillbirth or miscarriage.
However, studies also imply that unhealthful lifestyle choices (such as smoking or being obese) are linked to miscarriage and infertility, which may potentially increase the risk of stroke. As per the researchers, early surveillance of women who have had a miscarriage or stillbirth, together with modifications to a healthy lifestyle, could reduce the incidence of stroke.
Since this study is an observational one, a cause cannot be determined. The study includes further flaws, such as the fact that data were gathered through questionnaires, and the effects of alternative therapies weren't investigated since there wasn't enough information.
(With inputs from agencies)
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