Funding outcome

The age at which women deliver their first child has increased steadily, particularly in Western societies, in part due to economic or educational reasons. Data from Statistics Canada show the proportion of births occurring among women in their early thirties accounts for 26% of first births in Canada, and first births among women aged 35 years and older accounts for 11 % of first births. Pregnancies at an advanced maternal age have a higher rate of obstetric complications and maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality, including preeclampsia (potentially fatal high blood pressure in pregnancy), growth restriction (babies born small) and pre-term labor. This can be due to preexisting clinical or pre-clinical conditions associated with aging. Despite the increased rates of women delivering their first child at an advanced age, few studies have addressed how the heart and blood vessesl adapt to pregnancy in this important, growing area of our population. The current project involved studying novel pathways of vascular function that may be important in complications of pregnancy in an aging population. The role of these pathways in aged pregnancy and in maternal cardiovascular health is currently unknown. These studies will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms behind pregnancy complications at an advanced maternal age, and will ultimately enable the development of new therapeutic interventions for women choosing to have families at an advanced age to improve pregnancy outcomes for both the mother and child.