Common carotid artery intima-media thickness increases throughout the pregnancy cycle: a prospective cohort study.
Nancy Anderson NiemczykMarianne BertoletJanet M CatovMansi DesaiCandace K McClureJames M RobertsAkira SekikawaPing Guo TepperEmma J Barinas-MitchellPublished in: BMC pregnancy and childbirth (2018)
In uncomplicated first pregnancies, IAD increased and returned to 1st trimester levels postpartum. In contrast, CCA IMT remained increased 2 years postpartum. Maternal weight explained vascular changes better than did metabolic changes. Increased postpartum CCA IMT may persist and contribute to long-term CVD risk.