Women with hyperemesis gravidarum are almost 50% more likely to be hospitalised for cardiovascular events in the decades after delivery than those without hyperemesis, a large cohort study shows.

This risk was even higher among women with a history of pre-eclampsia, according to Canadian doctors, who followed more than 1.4 million women from pregnancy for up to 30 years.

“Guidelines should consider adding hyperemesis gravidarum as a pregnancy-related cardiovascular risk factor,” the University of Montreal-led team wrote in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

“[These women] may benefit from counselling to address the increased risk of cardiovascular disease and encourage heart-healthy behaviours postpartum.”