In singletons born at term, lower gestational age is associated with increased aortic pulse wave velocity in young adulthood: The Northern Ireland Young Hearts Project (NIYHP)

Decreases in the mean gestational age of babies born at term have been reported over the past decade in several developed countries, linked to increases in the rates of planned births by labour induction and/or pre-labour caesarean sections. In contrast to the effects of pre-term birth, the extent to which lower gestation age within the ‘at-term' range (i.e. ≥37–≤42 weeks) affects individuals' cardiovascular heath is largely unknown, however. We have therefore examined the association between gestational age (obtained from the Northern Ireland Child Health Services' records) and aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) in 351 young adults from the NIYHP (50.4% women, mean age of 22.4 ± 1.6 years, all singletons and born at term, 98% with birth weight>2.5 kg).

Source: Artery Research - November 24, 2015 Category: Cardiology Authors: Isabel Ferreira, Alison Gallagher, Liam Murray, Colin Boreham Source Type: research