SCAD and Reproductive Health

There are many things scientists have to learn about SCAD and reproductive health. In particular, the SCAD Research Program is focused on how sex hormones affect when SCAD occurs and how serious it is. Two key facts are that SCAD happens most often in women, and it can occur during or shortly after pregnancy.

Mayo Clinic SCAD researchers have studied people who had SCAD while they were pregnant or shortly after. The research team has observed that these patients often have more-serious cases than do other patients with SCAD. They are more likely to have more-serious heart attacks, involvement of multiple coronary arteries and lower cardiac function.

Among women of reproductive age, decisions about getting pregnant after SCAD are difficult but important. So are choices about birth control. So far, researchers think that while many women can have uneventful pregnancies after SCAD, that isn't true for all women. In general, women who have had SCAD should talk with their doctors about the decision to get pregnant. A pregnancy heart team can help them review what is known and not known, as well as the risks and benefits.

In addition to studying SCAD and pregnancy, the SCAD Research Program is exploring other topics related to sex hormones, such as:

• Looking at reproductive health status at time of SCAD.
• Managing atypical or heavy menstrual flow.
• Managing symptoms leading up to, during and after menopause.
• Understanding the roles of hormones that aren't made by the body, such as contraceptives or postmenopausal hormone therapy.
• Studying the differences between men and women who have had SCAD.

In one project, the research team observed a group of women who have had SCAD and also had a type of chest pain called angina that was related to their menstrual cycles.