Risk estimation of metabolic syndrome at one and three years after a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia.

BACKGROUND

Our goal was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in women following a pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia and to determine whether this changes between one- and three-years postpartum.

METHODS

We recruited women into a longitudinal prospective cohort following a pregnancy with or without preeclampsia. The prevalence of cardiometabolic factors were assessed at one- and three-years postpartum. A total of 217 women completed a visit at one year postpartum (n = 99 preeclampsia, n = 118 control subjects) and 120 completed a visit at three-years (n = 73 preeclampsia, n = 47 control subjects).

RESULTS

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome at one- and three-years postpartum was significantly greater in women who had preeclampsia (18.18% at one year, 21.92% at three-years) than in control subjects (6.78%, 6.38%) (P < 0.05), but did not change over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the difficulty in following women long-term, either clinically or as part of study, and because cardiometabolic factors do not change significantly between one- and three-years postpartum, strategies for health preservation and disease prevention should be adopted in the first-year postpartum.