Miscarriage, stillbirth tied to heightened stroke risk among women

Women who have experienced miscarriage and stillbirth are at higher risk of stroke, as suggested in a recent meta-analysis.

Researchers accessed multiple online databases and conducted a comprehensive literature search for cohort and case-control studies that evaluated the associations between infertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, and stroke.

A total of 16 cohort studies and two case-control studies, which involved a total of 7,808,521 women, were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled data showed that compared with controls, women who had experienced miscarriage or stillbirth were at higher risk of stroke (miscarriage: hazard ratio [HR], 1.07, 95 percent confidence interval [CI], 1.00–1.14; stillbirth: HR, 1.38, 95 percent CI, 1.11–1.71).

Each additional miscarriage and stillbirth were associated with a 13-percent (HR, 1.13, 95 percent CI, 0.96–1.33) and 25-percent (HR, 1.25, 95 percent CI, 1.06–1.49) increase in the risk of stroke, respectively.

A subgroup analysis further confirmed that the risk of stroke was especially high among women with repeated miscarriages and stillbirths (miscarriage ≥3: HR, 1.42, 95 percent CI, 1.05–1.90; stillbirth ≥2: HR, 1.14, 95 percent CI, 1.04–1.26).

Meanwhile, associations between infertility and stroke were inconsistent and inconclusive (HR, 1.07, 95 percent CI, 0.87–1.32).

The findings suggest that miscarriage and stillbirth may help identify women at higher risk of stroke.