History of infertility linked to increased risk of heart failure, study finds

"We're starting to realize that a woman's reproductive history tells a lot about her future risk of heart disease," said first author Emily Lau, MD, MPH, cardiologist, MGH Menopause, Director of the Hormone and Cardiovascular Clinic

Infertility affects 1 in 5 U.

There are two types of heart failure: heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF)

The team found an association between infertility and overall heart failure, specifically HFpEF, a form of heart failure that is more common in women regardless of their reproductive history

Over the past decade, HFpEF (the heart muscle doesn't relax well), relative to HFrEF (the left ventricle doesn't pump blood well), has become the predominant form of heart failure in both men and women

"I think our findings are particularly notable because heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is more common in women," Lau said

The increased risk was independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and other infertility-related conditions

"So this really begs the question: what mechanisms drive the link between infertility and heart failure," Lau said

"As scientists and physicians, we are beginning to recognize how important a woman's reproductive history is to their future risk of heart disease

This research was supported in part by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association

Journal Reference :

1. Emily S.