Women who are diagnosed with depression around the time they give birth appear to have a higher risk of heart problems in later life, according to a new study.Those diagnosed with perinatal depression which includes postnatal depression and depression during pregnancy may be at higher risk of heart problems including high blood pressure; heart disease and heart failure for up to 20 years afterwards.
Swedish researchers said that the links between depression around childbirth and the long-term risk of cardiovascular disease are “largely unknown” as they published a study tracking women for more than a decade.
The study, published in the European Heart Journal, examined data on almost 56,000 women diagnosed with perinatal depression between 2001 and 2014.