Exploring How Pregnancy-Related Complications (e.g., Preeclampsia, Gestational Diabetes) Predict Future Cardiovascular and Metabolic Risks

Background: Pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes (GDM) have been shown to be associated with future cardiovascular and metabolic risk, where it's understanding these associations is crucial in identifying high-risk groups and prevention. Objective: The goal of our current study was to determine the impact of pregnancy complications on subsequent cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes during follow-up at 12 months in a cohort of postpartum women. Methods: 90 pregnant women with pregnancy complication history were followed up for 12 months from April 2024 - to April 2025 in different hospitals in Iraq; we collected baseline characteristics, complication rate, cardiovascular risk factors, and lifestyle assessments, which multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the correlation between pregnancy complications and future cardiovascular and metabolic risks. Results: The findings of this research indicated that 33.3% of the participants were diagnosed with preeclampsia and 27.8% with GDM. Preeclampsia was found to strongly correlate with future hypertension (70%) and GDM with future type 2 diabetes (60%). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was significantly higher among participants with a history of preeclampsia (40%) than GDM (32%). Moreover, arterial stiffness was significantly higher in women with preeclampsia (10.5 ± 2.0 m/s) than in GDM (9.5 ± 1.8 m/s). Conclusion: Pregnancy complications, particularly preeclampsia and GDM, have a strong predictive value for future cardiovascular and metabolic risk in women postpartum. Early diagnosis and follow-up in women with such complications may result in better long-term health