Women who suffer a miscarriage or stillbirth are at a significantly greater risk of a stroke later in life, according to a study.
Experts examined global data and found women who miscarried three or more times were up to 35 per cent more likely to suffer a non-fatal stroke in their lifetime.
One miscarriage was linked to a 7 per cent increased risk of non-fatal stroke, while two was linked to a 12 per cent increased risk.
The risk of dying from a stroke was even greater compared to the general population.
Women with one miscarriage had an 8 per cent increased risk, two was linked to a 26 per cent increased risk and three was associated to an 82 per cent heightened risk.
Researchers suggested the link between infertility and increased stroke risk may be due to conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI).
A narrowing of the heart’s blood vessels may also explain the increased risk of stroke for women with a history of recurrent stillbirth or miscarriage.
However, the team also said unhealthy lifestyles contribute to stroke risk, as they called for more research into the area.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death in women in the UK, killing 20,523 in 2018, the latest date figures are available for. Only dementia and heart disease killed more.
In 2019, figures suggest around three million women died from stroke and millions more live with ongoing disability.
Source dailymail.co.uk