(Thursday, July 28, HealthDay News) – the risk of suffering a stroke pregnancy during – or soon – increased significantly in recent years, according to new U.S. government research.
Since the mid-1990 to 2006-2007, the rate of hospitalization of stroke pregnancy increased by 54%.
“When we started this study, we expected to see an increase in diseases related to pregnancy, but we did not expect to see such big increase,” said study author Dr. Elena Kuklina, an epidemiologist in the division of heart disease and stroke prevention in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. “.”
But, related diseases in pregnancy is still “relatively rare”, she added. About 4,000 rounds a year took place at the beginning of the study, compared to more than 6 000 at the end.
Results of the study, published online July 28, will appear in the September of the Stroke Journal print edition.
The study was not designed to assess what factors have influenced the increase in the risk of stroke, Kuklina said. But today women are often older when they become pregnant, and they may be overweight or obese, which are known to risk factors for stroke, she noted.
In addition, more than women who are pregnant have a pre-existing in the chronic medical conditions, such as congenital heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and autoimmune diseases, said. In the past, many of these women were discouraged from attempting pregnancy.
The data for the study consist of a national database that it collects to pay hospital 1 000 information.
The rate of hospitalization, accident stroke during pregnancy went up to 47% in 1994-95 for 2006-2007, according to the study. In the postpartum period (after the birth of the baby), hospitalization stroke rate jumped even more–83 per cent – for the same period of time. STROKE hospitalization rates remained the same during childbirth.
Almost a third of women who have had a stroke during pregnancy, and more than half had a stroke during the postpartum, had high blood pressure or with a history of heart disease, the study found.
Women aged 25 to 34 was hospitalized for a stroke more often than younger or older women.
Kuklina said that all women should try to be as healthy as possible before they get pregnant and “try to stick to a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy.” It recommended to eat healthy, regular physical activity and not smoking.
She also informed women who have a chronic disease, make sure that it is also well controlled that it can be before design. In some cases, she said, and doctors may revealed recommend thinning of blood drugs to help prevent stroke.
Dr. Mary Rosser, an obstetrician Montefiore Medical Center in New York, said she was pleased to see a study drawing attention to this issue.
“It is a very revealing article that will promote.” Women may brush off the coast of some of the symptoms of stroke] and just think that they are exhausted because they are pregnant or just to have a baby, “she said.”
Some of the symptoms that indicate a need for immediate medical attention, said Rosser, include:
Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding othersSudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg, especially if it occurs only on a difficulty in sideSudden see in one or two eyesTrouble walk or movementsSudden of violent headaches without known cause of coordination
Rosser said among the signs that a woman may develop dangerously high blood pressure during pregnancy:
Headaches of swelling in the right handsVisual changesPain at the top of the abdomen or face
These symptoms are most troubling when one or more occur at the same time, she said. She tells his patients to take acetaminophen (Tylenol) for headaches, but if the pain persists after 30 minutes to call the doctor. If you already have a history known high blood pressure, she said that, with the listed problems should generate a telephone call to the doctor.
Women who have chronic health problems in early pregnancy should consider see a high-risk obstetrician who may be more experienced in such conditions of handling, Rosser added.
More information
Learn more about stroke of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
