Suffering an ischemic stroke during pregnancy or three months after pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events such as heart attack or second stroke, heart disease and depression later in life.
The new study was published on January 21, 2026 in Neurologythe medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Ischemic stroke is the most common type of stroke and occurs when a clot or blockage reduces blood flow to the brain, depriving it of oxygen and nutrients.
The study also found that female participants who had suffered a stroke during pregnancy or postpartum were less likely to be employed and likely to retire at the end of the study, compared to those who had not suffered a stroke.
“Having a stroke during pregnancy or postpartum is rare, but several studies have shown that the rate is increasing. Our study sought to better understand what happens to women after a stroke during pregnancy and postpartum and found an increased risk of heart disease and depression, as well as a lower likelihood of returning to work later,” explains Anna Richardt, MD, study author from the University of Helsinki.
For the study, researchers identified 97 female participants in Finnish health care registries who had had an ischemic stroke during pregnancy or postpartum, up to three months after pregnancy, and were matched with 280 female participants who had not had a stroke.
Researchers tracked each person’s health through registries and medical records for an average of 12 years, observing participants who later suffered cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, heart disease or depression.
Of participants with a first stroke, 6% had a second stroke and 7% had a serious cardiovascular event such as a heart attack, compared with 0% of those who did not have a stroke at the start of the study.
Of participants with a stroke, 19% had depression, compared with 6% of those without a stroke. After adjustment for age, people with a stroke were almost four times more likely to have depression.
“Of those with stroke, 92% had good functional outcomes, meaning they were fully recovered or able to perform most daily activities at the end of the study,” Richardt said, adding, “Yet more than a third of those with stroke were unemployed at the end of the study. Our findings highlight the need for adequate stroke prevention, monitoring and rehabilitation to improve the long-term health of those who have had a stroke during pregnancy.”
