Journal of the American Heart Association, Volume 15, Issue 6 , March 17, 2026. BackgroundIn utero exposures to certain pathologies during pregnancy increase offspring cardiovascular disease (CVD) risks, and pregnancy complications and CVD risks are higher in twins than in singletons.
However, the association between placental abruption and nonfatal incident CVD in twin offspring, and whether the abruption effects are mediated through preterm delivery, is unknown.MethodsWe used the PACER (Placental Abruption and Cardiovascular Event Risk) offspring cohort, which links births to hospitalizations and mortality records in New Jersey from 1993 to 2020 (28 years of follow‐up) and is restricted to twin offspring. In a Cox model, we estimated the counterfactual decomposition of the abruption–CVD association into a natural direct and indirect effect through preterm delivery.ResultsOf 116 796 twin births, 2597 (2.2%) were complicated by abruption.
The rate of incident CVD was higher among abruption than nonabruption births (1560 versus 577 per 100 000 person‐years). Abruption was associated with a 2.47‐fold increased risk of CVD in the twin offspring, with similar risks for heart disease and stroke.
Journal of the American Heart Association published a clinical update in Cardiology on 10 Mar 2026.
The item focuses on Placental Abruption, Preterm Delivery, and Cardiovascular Disease in Twin Offspring.
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