Heart failure & cardiomyopathiesCohort study

Female Reproductive Factors and Risk of New-Onset Heart Failure

JACC Heart FailPublished

  • Prospective cohort study
  • UK Biobank

Authors' conclusion

The findings emphasize the importance of female reproductive history in the assessment of HF risk.

Study context

Population
Women without prevalent heart failure (HF), UK Biobank, enrolled 2007–2010, followed until December 2020mean age 56.5 years
Participants
229,026 women
Exposure
Female reproductive factors and incident HF
Outcome
Incident HF
Follow-up
Followed until December 2020

Main finding

As reported in the abstract

Hazard ratio (95% CI)
Menarche <12 y vs 12-13 y
1.09(1.01–1.18)
Menopause <45 y vs 50-51 y
1.15(1.03–1.28)
Menopause 45-49 y vs 50-51 y
1.11(1.01–1.23)
First live birth <21 y vs 24-26 y
1.42(1.28–1.59)
First live birth 21-23 y vs 24-26 y
1.14(1.03–1.26)
Last live birth <26 y vs 29-31 y
1.19(1.07–1.33)
3 or 4 children vs 1 or 2 children
1.09(1.02–1.17)
>4 children vs 1 or 2 children
1.24(1.05–1.47)
1 stillbirth vs no stillbirth: larger risk of HF
20%
Recurrent stillbirths vs no stillbirth: larger risk of HF
43%

Observational data: associations, not effects.

Original publication

Female Reproductive Factors and Risk of New-Onset Heart Failure. JACC Heart Fail. Published 19 April 2023. doi:10.1016/j.jchf.2023.02.019

Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it